Sweet Revenge?
by morningsofgold777
Summary: After his defeat in the Labyrinth, Jareth is stripped of his Goblin Kingdom. With revenge in mind, he goes to Sarah's world but gets a couple of surprises that might just derail his plans.
1. Chapter 1 - 'Cause It Hurts Like Hell

**CHAPTER ONE**

_'Cause It Hurts Like Hell_

'Well,' a familiar voice drawled, 'I guess the rumors are true after all. Never have I seen a more miserable creature or a more miserable place. Where are your goblins? It's as quiet as a tomb in here.'

Jareth gritted his teeth and struggled to control his temper. This was the last person he wanted to see, especially when his defeat was still so fresh, so raw, stinging like salt in an open wound, but he'd been expecting him. As High King of the Underground, his older brother, Dart, had every right to be there. In fact, it was his duty.

He watched as Dart meandered around his throne room, his boots clicking on the stone floor, his high-necked black cape swirling about him like a dark cloud. So like himself yet older, much older. He was a good twenty years his senior. However, in the Underground, where age didn't show itself until you were well into your tenth decade, Dart didn't look much older than Jareth. In fact, they could almost be twins.

'By all means, make yourself at home.'

'Just looking for the goblins.'

'I didn't know you were so fond of them.'

'I'm not, but they're bloody fun to kick.'

Jareth couldn't argue with that. He would have loved to take a boot at one of his goblins, but he had banished them and their chickens from the castle shortly after Sarah had departed with the child. He wasn't in the mood for company. He wanted to be alone, alone in his living tomb.

'I didn't know High Kings concerned themselves with rumors,' Jareth said, tiring of watching his brother poke about.

Dart stopped in mid-stride, turning to look at Jareth. His expression hardened as he was reminded of the reason for his visit. He looked very much like their father just then. 'When the rumor concerns his brother and a…' his thin lips curled, '_human_, then I have very little choice but to concern myself. You know the law, Jareth, as well as I. We were taught it at an early age. Humans are forbidden in the Underground.'

'A ridiculous law,' Jareth muttered. 'It ought to be repealed. There is nothing to fear from humans.'

'From your appearance and the appearance of your Kingdom, I would say that's not an accurate assessment of their abilities.' He ran a critical eye over Jareth's person before casting an equally critical eye over the throne room. 'A mere slip of a girl has defeated you. It's appalling, simply appalling. Father would be furious.'

'Let's not bring father into this,' Jareth growled.

'Why not?' Dart demanded. 'He warned you over and over again that your fascination with the Aboveground would be your downfall, and he was right. You've disgraced your Kingdom and yourself. Not only that but you've forced me into a very awkward position. As High King I'm required to enforce the laws of the land, and you know the penalty for associating with humans. Bloody hell, Jareth,' Dart exclaimed, swatting the air with his crop, 'you didn't just associate with her, you brought her to the Underground.'

'Or so the rumor claims.'

'Do you deny it?'

The question hung in the air for several minutes before Jareth finally answered. 'I must first know what I'm being accused of before I can deny or affirm anything.'

'Fair enough,' Dart agreed, clasping his hands behind his back as he leaned back on his heels. 'It's been reported that the Goblin King stole a human baby…'

'I didn't steal it,' Jareth interrupted. 'I was asked to take it. In fact, she distinctly said 'Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!' What could I do?

'What indeed,' Dart snorted. 'No one outside of the Underground is supposed to know those words. How could you give her such power?'

Jareth ignored his brother's question, preferring to vent his indignation. 'And little good it did me. The bloody girl changed her mind and demanded that I give it back.'

'Why didn't you?' Dart demanded incredulously. 'We have no use for human babies, especially one that was wished away. It must have been a bloody terror if its own kind didn't want it any longer.'

'I would have been a fool to give up my prize. How else was I to get what I wanted?'

Dart stared at him, his expression grim as he realized that his brother was guilty of everything the rumor had accused him of. He had brought not only a human baby to the Underground; he had brought a human girl as well and had allowed her to remain for several hours. In fact, he was getting the impression that Jareth had intended to keep the girl in the Underground indefinitely, which he must have known would be discovered and reported to the High King. What had he been thinking? Brother or not, the law was the law. There could be no favoritism.

'You're in love with the girl,' Dart said flatly.

'That's irrelevant,' Jareth snapped, jumping to his feet and stalking over to the wide windows overlooking the Goblin City. When it was said out loud like that, he felt like a bloody idiot. 'She made her choice.'

'What exactly did you offer her?'

'Everything. All her dreams.' There was a pause and then Dart heard what he thought was, 'I asked for so little.'

It was such a sad, forlorn-sounding whisper that Dart felt slightly embarrassed for hearing it, and he wished that the unpleasant task of confronting his brother had not fallen to him. Although they had never been close, their kind didn't indulge in familial affection, or any affection at all for that matter, he didn't rejoice at his brother's folly. In truth, he didn't understand it, but he had never understood Jareth.

From an early age, he'd shown himself to be different. He'd been too inquisitive, too unpredictable, too reckless, and he'd had this alarming preoccupation with the Aboveground. Their father had forbidden the boy time and again from going to the world above, but Jareth had not listened, and now his defiance had led to his downfall. He had developed an unfortunate infatuation with a human, and Dart was forced to admit that he was at a lost to know what to do. Such things were beyond his comprehension.

Love for a human? It was inconceivable. Goblin Kings didn't fall in love. They eventually married, of course, but only to ensure an heir to the throne. His own queen had been chosen for him at birth. Unfortunately, no heirs had been forthcoming before Aida had died in a hunting accident, and he was content to accept Jareth as his heir, but now that scenario was out of the question.

_Damn the boy_, Dart thought, scowling fiercely, thanks to Jareth's foolishness, he would have to marry again to ensure an heir for the Kingdom.

The thought annoyed him excessively, and he turned on his brother, saying with a great deal of asperity, 'Where was your head? You're not a green boy any longer. You must have known that whether you succeeded or failed in your endeavor to obtain this girl, you could not avoid losing the Goblin Kingdom.'

Dart's tone only added to Jareth's seething anger. Yes, he had known the consequences, but he had still risked it all. Sarah had had no idea what he would be giving up for her, the ungrateful little brat. If he had won, he would have had Sarah, which would have made losing the Kingdom more acceptable, but as it was, he had lost. He had neither Sarah nor the Kingdom. It was a bitter pill, a pill he was increasingly unwilling to swallow.

'I knew the consequences,' he said through clenched teeth, his eyes fixed on the city below, its buildings still smoldering from the battle that Sarah and her friends had waged, 'and I was prepared to forfeit the Kingdom.'

'And what were you planning to do?' Dart demanded. 'A Goblin King without a Kingdom is like a goblin without chickens.'

'The Underground is a large place. Your authority only extends to the Windsong Mountains.'

'No one from our Kingdom has ever gone beyond the mountains.'

'Then it's about time someone did.'

'So that's what you're intending to do?'

The thought was appealing to Jareth. Such an adventure would sooth his restless spirit, but as his brother had continued to questioned him, he became increasingly aware that he had unfinished business, and that business led in a different direction entirely. Although Sarah might have won the battle, the war was not over until _he_ said it was over.

'No,' Jareth said slowly, thoughtfully, 'not beyond the mountains.'

'Then where?'

'To the Aboveground.'

Dart felt like his head was going to explode. 'Are you mad? Hasn't that place caused you enough trouble? Let go of it, Jareth. Stay in your own world and forget that such a place even exists.'

'I can't.'

'It's that bloody girl, isn't it? Even after all of this,' Dart stalked over to row of windows and waved his hand at the destruction below, 'you still refuse to let her go. It's over, Jareth. She won, and as you said, she made her choice.'

'It's not over until _I_ say it's over.'

'Revenge, Jareth?'

'What else?'

Dart studied his brother's hard expression. Jareth had always had a temper. That had been evident from the day he was born and screamed like a goblin with an empty beer mug, but this intensity, this obsession was something new. He wondered if the human girl knew what she had done when she had solved his labyrinth and made a fool of him. Did she know that she had been rejecting his love when she rejected his offer? Somehow Dart didn't think so. She was young, and the young rarely understand the consequences of their actions.

'I have the power to close the Aboveground to you.'

Jareth's head whipped around, his eyes narrowing. 'And why would you do that? It's never been done before.'

'None of my subjects have broken the law as you have.' When Jareth remained silent, his lips tight with anger, Dart continued, 'As High King, I have responsibilities. I must consider what I'm unleashing on an unsuspecting world, not to mention an adolescent girl. Had I known what you were up to earlier, I might have prevented all of this.' He sighed, running a gloved hand through his pale hair. 'In some ways, you are still very much a child, Jareth. You want something, and you must have it. You must learn restraint, prudence, discipline. Only then will you be fit to be High King.'

'I shall never be High King.'

'No, you won't,' Dart snapped, his irritation flaring once more, 'and because you didn't consider your Kingdom worth keeping, because you thought only of your own immediate desires, you have forced me to remarry so an heir to the Kingdom can be obtained. Should I unleash such a man on this world, on this girl? A man with power far superior to that of humans?'

'Then strip me of my power. I do not need it up there.'

Dart stared at him, amazed. 'Revenge is that important to you?'

'You should know the answer to that. Revenge is the way of our kind. It's in our blood, our heritage. Goblin Kings do not accept defeat readily.'

'But the girl is young, too young to realize what she has done.'

'She is stronger than you think. Take a look around you, brother. Do you think an innocent waif caused such destruction?'

There was a long pause and then Dart said, 'I will allow you to go to the Aboveground on one condition.'

'Name it.'

'You must promise to have no contact with the girl for ten years.'

Jareth's eyes flashed. 'No…'

'Listen to me,' Dart said, cutting across his objection, 'the girl is young, hardly more than a child. She must be given the opportunity to mature. Only then will she be a worthy opponent. Besides, I doubt very much that her parents will allow a man your age anywhere near their daughter. You may find yourself in jail.'

Jareth considered his brother's words. Child or not, Sarah was already a worthy opponent, but it would be wise to bide his time, to make preparations, to plan. There must be no hope of her escaping his trap this time. On their first meeting, he had been generous. He had fashioned his labyrinth to please her, to meet her expectations. On their next and final meeting, he did not intend to be generous. He intended to show her just how cruel a scorned Goblin King could be.

'Very well,' Jareth agreed. 'Ten years and no longer.'

Dart knew it was the best he was going to get. Personally, he felt revenge upon the girl wasn't worth the trouble, but Jareth had spoken correctly. It was the way of Goblin Kings to seek revenge upon their enemies, and he could not fault Jareth for that. He had done what he could to even the playing field. The rest was up to the girl. If she'd been a formidable opponent at sixteen, what would she be at twenty-six?

'You are expected to appear before the High Council in a fortnight to hear your sentence.'

'Is that necessary? We already know the outcome.'

'Yes, it is,' Dart replied, his voice sharp. 'There are formalities and traditions that must be maintained. At that time, the Goblin Kingdom and your powers will be stripped from you. Should you decide to return to the Underground, your powers will be restored. Your Kingdom, however, is lost forever.' Dart stared at his brother for a moment or two longer and then added, 'I sincerely regret what the law had compelled me to do, but you knew the consequences when you embarked upon this venture. Nevertheless, I do wish you good fortune in the life you've chosen. Goblinspeed, Jareth.'

In a whirl of sparkling light, the High King became a large, white eagle and soared out the window. Jareth watched as he disappeared into the reddish-orange horizon. He never expected to see his brother again, but he felt no regret, no sorrow. He had become accustomed to a solitary life. It was the way of Goblin Kings.

_But you're not longer a Goblin King_, he reminded himself and was amazed at the odd sense of relief he felt. Ruling over a smelly horde of goblins had been a chore, and a bloody boring chore at that. In a fortnight's time, he would for all intents and purposes be human. With no magic to assist him, he would be obliged to make a life for himself. His spirits lifted as he contemplated the challenge before him.

And then there was Sarah. Ten years seemed like a bloody eternity, but he recognized the wisdom in waiting. He'd be in a much better position to carry out his revenge for he would have time to establish himself, to make preparations and Sarah? He smiled, eyeteeth flashing. She would be completely unsuspecting.


	2. Chapter 2 - Who is This Guy?

**CHAPTER TWO**

_Who Is This Guy?_

'Toby,' Sarah yelled as she stumbled over the book bag lying just inside the front door, 'If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times to put your book bag on the table, not the floor. I nearly broke my neck.'

When there was no answer, Sarah stormed through the small apartment they shared searching for her brother. She found him in his room, playing a video game.

'Books are more interesting.'

'Books are boring. They don't shoot back.'

'You've got homework to do,' she told him. 'Shut that thing off and get in there and get busy. Your last report card was a disaster.'

'You're not my mother,' Toby retorted, making no move to turn off the game.

'No, I'm not,' she agreed, 'but I work 50 hours a week at that greasy spoon diner so as to feed you so I think that entitles me to expect certain things from you.'

'I didn't ask you to.'

'Would you rather live at the orphanage?'

Toby looked up from his game, his expression defiant. 'Maybe.'

'Fine,' Sarah snapped, turning on her heel, 'I'll give them a call.'

Slamming the door behind her, she stalked down the hallway, tossing her coat and purse on any available piece of furniture. When she reached the tiny kitchen, she stood for a few moments, hands on the countertop, trying to control her temper. She was tempted, really tempted to call the county authorities and have them cart the brat off.

With each passing year Toby became more and more uncontrollable. He was only twelve, but he had the mouth of a fifteen year old. She had tried. She really had. She'd given up everything, college, an acting career, the boyfriend who was on the verge of proposing in order to take care of him, and he wasn't the least bit grateful. On the contrary, he seemed to delight in defying her.

Donna, a waitress at the diner, has assured her over and over again that all kids went through a rebellious phase, but that was of little comfort when she was struggling to find a way to control him. Not for the first time did she wish that she could give him back to his parents, let them deal with his smart mouth and sulky looks, but that was impossible. Her father and stepmother had died in a car accident as they were driving her back to college after winter break.

It had not been a good visit. There'd been continuous arguments, and they were still arguing when her dad had driven left of center, hitting a delivery truck head-on. She couldn't even remember what the argument was about, but she did remember the squealing tires, the screaming and then the darkness. She woke up the next day in a hospital with a splitting headache and a broken arm.

At first she couldn't remember anything except her name, but eventually, it all came back…well, almost everything. The doctors had told her not to worry about it. It was a result of the concussion she had received, but she never really got used to having a few chunks of her past gone. It was like someone had taken an eraser and swiped it through her mind, leaving only bits of disjointed words. Finally, she had had to tell herself that if she'd forgotten it, it must not have been important.

But her memory loss had only been a small part of her trouble compared to the bigger one of what to do with her five year old brother. There'd been no grandparents, and Karen's sister, Joan, had no interest in the boy. Apparently, he wouldn't fit into her life as a fashion designer in Paris. So Toby's future was left to Sarah who was hardly more than a child herself. Overnight she'd become a single parent.

With a sigh, Sarah straightened up. She had dinner to make. There would be plenty of time to reminisce about lost opportunities or unfulfilled dreams once the lights were out. The sorrow, the despair always came at night when she had nothing else to do except stare up at the ceiling and remember.

She was in the middle of tearing up lettuce for a salad when the phone rang. She was tempted to let it go but decided to answer in case it was the diner offering more hours.

'Hello?'

'Sarah, it's me, Trish.'

'Hey, what's up? I haven't heard from you in ages.'

'And whose fault is that?'

'I know, I know,' Sarah said, holding the phone between ear and shoulder so she could continue tearing lettuce, 'I work all the time, and when I'm not working, I'm hauling Toby back and forth from school activities.'

'Sarah, I hate to say it, but you're becoming a drudge,' Trish said. 'At your age, you ought to be out having fun. When's the last time you had a date?'

'Male or female?'

'Male, of course.'

Sarah's brow wrinkled as she tried to remember. 'I think it was last October at Jen's Halloween party. I distinctly remember going with someone dressed as Lincoln. His beard kept tickling my nose every time we danced.'

'That wasn't last Halloween,' Trish corrected. 'That was two Halloweens ago. Girl, you need to get out more. How about going out with my brother this Saturday?'

'Can't,' Sarah said, reaching for a carrot, 'I have to work.'

'All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl,' Trish quoted.

'Is that the only reason you called? To get your brother a date?'

'Randy can get his own dates. The real reason I called was to tell you about an audition for a new musical they're having down at the Max. My agent call me about it this afternoon, but after hearing the storyline, all I could think of was you. I tell you, Sarah, this thing was written just for you. You've got to try for it. I even gave your number to my agent and told him to give you a call. His name's Jay Masters.'

'You know I don't sing,' Sarah told her, only half listening.

'But that's the great part,' Trish exclaimed, clearly excited. Sarah could almost see her bouncing up and down. 'The leading lady doesn't do any singing. None. Zilch. Nada. The singing is all done by the leading man. Yeah, I know it's weird, but you'll understand when you hear who wrote it.' There was a pause as though she was waiting for Sarah to say something. 'Aren't you going to ask me who the writer is?'

Sarah rolled her eyes as she walked over to the refrigerator and took out a package of ground turkey. 'Ok, I'll bite. Who wrote it? An egomaniac who likes to hear himself sing?'

'The Wizard.'

'Who?'

'_The Wizard_.'

Although her friend was clearly exasperated with her lack of knowledge, Sarah could only repeat herself. 'Who?'

Trish sighed. 'Don't you pay attention modern music? The Wizard is Jared Kristal, the rock singer. They nicknamed him the Wizard because of the way he dresses on stage, lots of capes and boots and things. Looks like he's just stepped out of a fairytale. He burst onto the scene a few years ago, right around the time of…'

Sarah supplied what she had been about to say. 'The accident?'

'Er, yes.' Trish quickly continued on. 'He was an instant hit, toured all over the world. You _must_ have heard his music.'

'I haven't got time to listen to music.'

'Well, you must have heard it at that restaurant of yours.'

'Maybe but I wouldn't have known it if I had.'

There was another exasperated sigh and then Trish said, 'Well, anyway, I guess he's tired of touring and is looking for something new to do. Broadway is all aflutter at the thought of the Wizard producing a rock musical. Some say it'll be a disaster while others are saying it'll be brilliant. According to Jay, not only did the Wizard write it, but he also going to direct it. Auditions are set to take place next week. Promise me that you'll go.'

Now it was Sarah's turn to sigh. 'Trish, I haven't acted in years. The last time I had a role was in our sophomore year of college when I played Emily Webb in _Our Town_.'

'No problem. I'll come over and help you practice.'

'Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I don't think it's for me.'

'At least read the script before you say no,' Trish pleaded. 'I'm telling you, Sarah, that part was _made _for you, and you'll love the story. I know you will. It's…it's,' there was a pause as she searched for the right word, 'it's a fairytale put to music.'

'You mean like Disney's Beauty and the Beast?'

'You loved that movie!'

'Trish…'

'I'll be over tomorrow afternoon. That's a Saturday.'

'I have to work until 1 PM.'

'So I'll come over at 3.'

Sarah gave in. 'Bring a pizza with you, and I'll read the script.'

'You've got it. Pepperoni or sausage?'

***SCENE CHANGE***

Sarah stood behind the left stage curtain waiting to be called forward. Butterflies the size of bats zoomed to and fro in her stomach, and she feared she might be sick at any moment. She couldn't remember being this nervous at an audition before. Somewhere along the way, between her last audition and now, she's lost confidence in herself, and it showed in sweaty palms and knocking knees. She really had no business being there, but Trish and Jay had convinced her. No, she amended, the script had convinced her.

As Trish had predicted, she'd fallen in love with _The Goblin King_. She'd been surprised that a rock singer could write something so poignantly romantic. Every line had vibrated with intensity, with passion, with romantic adventure. It had thrilled her. It had charmed her. It had convinced her to give it a try.

'Sarah Williams!'

Rubbing her sweaty palms down the sides of her skirt, she took a deep breath and stepped out onto the stage.

Twenty minutes later, she was backstage, the audition over. It hadn't been her best, but it had gone better than she'd expected. Perhaps it was because she felt so comfortable in the role of Beth, the leading lady. Her lines came naturally to Sarah because she could easily imagine herself saying those same words. As Trish had said, the part seemed to be made for her. Shrugging in her coat, she headed for the stage door. There was no reason to hang about. She wouldn't hear anything for a few days. That's the way auditions went. She pushed open the door and walked right into rain.

'Oh, damn,' she muttered.

She had no umbrella and the bus stop was a good four blocks away. Well, she thought, pulling up the collar of her coat, there was nothing she could do but walk.

She had taken only a few steps when a shadow detached itself from the alley behind the theater. She stopped. The evening news had reported a robbery in the general vicinity of the theater just the other day. She glanced at the stage door, wondering if she could reach it in time if she needed to. If she screamed would those inside hear?

The shadow came toward her, stepping into the light of a street lamp. It was a man dressed in black jeans and a black leather jacket sprinkled with raindrops. His hair was short, cut in the popular shaggy style and gleamed like dull silver. She stared at him. She knew she's never seen him before, but something inside of her paused as if saying 'are you sure you don't know him?'

They stared at each for a moment and then he smiled, showing prominent eyeteeth.

'Hello, Sarah.'

His voice held an accent. British, she guessed. She didn't know any Brits.

'How do you know my name?'

The smile faded. 'Don't play games with me, Sarah. I don't like it.'

Unease quickly returned, and she took a hasty step backwards. He didn't look like a lunatic, but he certainly talked like one. Games? What games?

'Look, buddy, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm going to start screaming like a six year old girl at recess if you don't explain yourself real quick.'

The man frowned. No, she amended, he scowled. It was obvious that he was not pleased. His eyes narrowed as though he were trying to see inside of her, to discern her thoughts. A look of uncertainty flashed briefly across his thin face before he showed the eyeteeth once again in what she assumed was supposed to be a harmless smile. 'I see I've alarmed you. I assure you that wasn't my intention.'

'What was your intention?' Sarah demanded. That smile did not look harmless.

'To offer you a ride.' When she frowned, he added. 'I was at the theater and saw your audition.'

'Are you an actor?'

'I'm part of the production staff.'

She was feeling a little better about the encounter, but there was no way she was going to get into any stranger's car. 'Thank you for the offer, but I'm taking the bus.'

'The nearest bus stop is a few blocks from here, and it's raining,' he pointed out. 'My car is just around the corner.'

'I'd really prefer to…'

She got no further. He had wrapped a gloved hand around her upper arm, turning her around.

'Let me go or I'll scream.'

'Please, Sarah, try to come up with a more original threat,' he said as he hustled her through the stage door she'd just exited. 'Screaming is so outdated. Perhaps you ought to invest in a can of pepper spray. I hear it's much more effective.'

Before she could get out a reply, he was hailing a young man standing nearby who was busy writing on a clipboard. 'Martin, would you be so good as to assure this young woman that I am not a lunatic, a murderer or whatever else she's imagining I am.'

The young man looked up and smiled broadly. 'Be glad too.' He looked at Sarah, still smiling, 'I assure you it's perfectly safe to be out after dark with him. He's…'

'Satisfied?' Sarah's captor asked, interrupting.

'I...I guess so.'

She had no chance to say more because he was hustling her outside again. Before she knew it, she was being stuffed into a large black sports car. The door thud shut in her face. She reached for the door handle, but he was in the car, revving the engine before her fingers could find it. I've been kidnapped by Bruce Wayne, and he's taking me away in his Batmobile, she thought in stunned amazement as the car shot forward with a throaty growl.

He drove fast, too fast. Sarah wanted to cover her eyes but decide it was best to see where he was taking her. After a few turns, she realized that they were heading in the general direction of her apartment. Apparently he not only knew her name, but he knew where she lived as well. Who was this guy?

'Your audition was good.'

'Thanks.'

'But not as good as it could have been.'

So he forces her to into his car and then he insults her? How weird is that?

'I haven't auditioned for anything in a long time.'

'Why not?'

'I've got a job that keeps me busy.'

'What do you do?'

Nosy bastard, she thought, scowling. 'I'm a waitress.'

'Any place I know?'

'Not unless you frequent diners.'

'Hardly.'

'Then you wouldn't know the place.'

'Do you like waitressing?'

'Oh, yeah,' Sarah muttered, rolling her eyes, 'everybody loves waitressing. How many little girls do you know dream of being a waitress when they grow up?'

'I don't know many little girls. They scream too much at recess.'

When the Batmobile made another correct turn, Sarah had had enough. She turned in her seat to look at him. 'Ok, look, this is really creeping me out. You obviously know where I live. How the hell do you know so much about me? Have you been stalking me or something because if you have, I'm going to…'

'Scream?' When she just stared at him, not amused, he continued, completely unperturbed by her outburst, 'I told you. I'm part of the production staff. You had to fill out certain information before you auditioned, didn't you? Information that included a name and address.'

'And you picked me out of all the others who auditioned tonight?'

'I told you. You were good.'

'But not good enough.'

'Ah, Sarah,' he tsked, 'you shouldn't put words in my mouth. I didn't say it wasn't good enough. I said it could be better.'

The big black car eased up in front of her apartment building. She immediately reached for the door handle. It clicked back and forth uselessly in her hand. The door was locked. Taking a deep breath to control her annoyance, she shot her companion a look that said 'open the door or I'll…'. Without a word, he pushed the button on his own door, releasing hers. She quickly scrambled out and landed in an undignified heap on the wet pavement. Her knees screamed from the impact.

'Aren't you going to ask me in for coffee,' he asked, leaning over to look at her through the open door.

'I'm out of coffee.'

He laughed, a deep throaty laugh that made her feel like a child. 'Runaway, Sarah. Little girls always do.'

And with that he gunned the car. It jumped forward like a panther leaping on its prey. The force of the acceleration brought the door slamming shut. Within seconds, the car and its owner were gone, melting into the surrounding darkness.

Sarah continued to kneel on the pavement, feeling very much like Lois Lane after meeting Superman for the first time. _Who was that guy?_

***SCENE CHANGE***

'You've got it!' Jay Masters exclaimed, his voice booming over the phone. 'You've got the part! Didn't we tell you that it was made for you?'

Sarah removed the phone from her ear, shook it and then put it back to her ear. 'Say that again. I'm not sure I heard you correctly.'

'Sarah,' Jay crowed, 'you've got the part. The _lead _part. If this musical is the hit everyone is predicting it'll be, you'll be an instant star. You'll have your pick of parts, Broadway, Hollywood, you name it.'

'I got the part,' Sarah repeated, still not believing it.

'That's what I said, baby, and,' his voice took on a very significant tone as though he was indulging some highly privileged information, 'it's my understanding that the Wizard himself chose you for the role.'

'I didn't know he was there.'

'Would you know him if you saw him?'

'No.'

'Didn't do the homework I gave you, huh?'

'I didn't have time,' Sarah said apologetically, 'but I did listen to a couple of his CDs.'

'What did you think?'

Sarah paused, considering how she'd felt when she'd heard the Wizard's voice for the first time. 'I'm not sure. To tell you the truth, Jay, it confused me.'

'Confused you? How so?'

'I don't know,' Sarah admitted. 'It just sort of gave me an unsettled feeling. I know it sounds weird, but whenever I listened to it, I got this odd feeling that there was something I'd left unfinished.'

Jay laughed, 'That is weird, but don't let it bother you. It's not how you feel about his music that matters. It's how he feels about you as an actress, and to have him personally select you is saying a lot, honey. It ain't easy to impress the Wizard. I hear he's very particular about how things are done, a regular tyrant, but, hey, who am I to criticize? He obviously knows what's he's doing or he wouldn't have rocketed to stardom so quickly. You hitch your wagon to him, and you'll go places, kiddo.'

She'd rather go places by herself. She didn't want to depend on this faceless benefactor for her success.

'First rehearsal is next Wednesday,' Jay was saying. 'I recommend that you ditch that diner you're working at and get busy learning your lines. From what I've heard, he doesn't suffer slackers gladly. So stay on your toes, ok?'

After a few more instructions, Jay rang off, and Sarah dropped the phone back into its cradle. She sat for a few minutes, running over and over in her mind what the agent had said. She had the part. She was going to be Beth in _The Goblin King._

She felt like Cinderella after her Fairy Godmother had waved her magic wand. Pumpkins were coaches, mice were footmen, and she had a ball to go to so she could meet Prince Charming and live happily ever after. But she wasn't Cinderella, she told herself. Cinderella was a fairytale, and fairytales weren't real. She's learned that after her father and stepmother's death. There were no happily ever afters. Not for her.

Yet there was no denying that this was a dream come true, a dream she had thought was dead. As far as the theater world was concerned, she was a nobody. She hadn't had an acting role since college, and now here she was with the lead part in a new rock musical because some rock singer called the Wizard had waved his invisible wand, selecting her out of so many who'd auditioned and had better credentials.

_Who is this guy?_


	3. Chapter 3 - The Best Laid Plans

**CHAPTER THREE**

_The Best Laid Plans of Mice & Goblin Kings_

Wednesday afternoon Sarah was asking herself quite a different question. _Where _is this guy, she thought as she sat with the rest of the cast and crew in the Maxim Theater, waiting for their director to arrive. He was over an hour late, and the natives were getting restless. The assistant director, a tall, thin man named Jeremy, had done his best to soothe ruffled feathers, but it was clear that mutiny was afoot. Actors, singers and dancers have egos, and their egos were feeling decidedly offended by their director's absence. If they were expected to be on time, why wasn't he?

Finally Martin, who'd turned out to be the stage director, climbed onto the stage and said, 'It would appear that Jared has been detained for some reason so we might as well get started without him. I'll introduce the production staff, and then Jeremy will take over and get us right into a full reading of the script.'

'Did they ever think of trying his damn cell phone?' A voice behind Sarah muttered as Martin began introductions.

'Haven't you heard?' Another voice whispered. 'He doesn't have one.'

'I guess that stage persona he projects has gone to his head,' the original voice sneered. 'He thinks he's living in the freaking 19th century.'

Sarah frowned, not appreciating the disrespect shown by the first speaker. She was tempted to turn around in her seat and confronted the unknown cast member, but her attention was quickly drawn back to the stage. Jeremy had replaced Martin and was beginning the reading of the script.

They were halfway through the second act when a voice interrupted from the surrounding shadows. 'No…no…no,' it growled, 'you're a Goblin King, not a bloody ambassador for the UN! Put some force into it, for bog's sake! Don't you know anything about being a Goblin King?'

Every head turned. A man was striding down the aisle, his hair gleaming a dull silver in the lights. Sarah gasped, nearly dropping her script as her fingers as well as the rest of her body seemed to go numb. It was her captor from the night of the audition. He was once again dressed all in black, but beneath his jacket, he wore a frilly white shirt, similar to what a pirate would wear. On anyone else, it would look ridiculous, but on the Wizard, it looked just right.

Miles, the actor who'd been chosen for the male lead, frowned. 'There are very few examples of Goblin Kings to emulate. In fact, there's none.'

Jared waved his complaint aside as though it was nothing more than a pesky fly. 'Goblin Kings aren't much different than human kings. They have absolute power and know it. They don't ask; they demand.'

'Americans aren't as familiar with kings as you Brits,' Miles said, his tone defensive.

'Then use your imagination, boy,' Jared roared.

'Yes, sir,' Miles said, his expression sullen.

'I've no patience for the sulks, Mr. Darnell…'

'It's Davison,' Miles interrupted.

Jared continued as though he hadn't even heard him, '…so you'd better get rid of that ego right now. This theater only has room for one ego, and that's mine.' Jared turned his attention to the rest of the cast, his eyes steely with purpose, 'And that goes for the rest of you. Leave your egos at the door. I have no time for hurt feelings. If you want to be a part of this musical, you'll do things my way. Got it?'

There were some answering murmurs, which he ignored. He hadn't been asking for permission.

His eyes had found Sarah in the front row. 'Get up, Sarah, and start reading at page 10.'

Sarah didn't move. She felt locked in place. Her mind was still struggling to reconcile the fact that her captor and Jared Kristal were one in the same person.

'Sarah,' he barked, 'Sarah Williams!' When she continued to sit like a statue, his voice lowered to a threatening purr. 'Don't make me come get you, Sarah.'

An elbow jabbed her in the side, startling her out of her trance. 'For God's sake,' the girl beside her hissed, 'get up, will you? I don't want him coming over here.'

Sarah stood up. 'I'm sorry, Mr. Kristal, I was…'

'Daydreaming?' He suggested.

'Er, no,' she stammered.

'I'm glad to hear it,' he retorted, 'because I don't intend to mollycoddle daydreamers any more than I do ambassadors of the UN.'

A blush burned along her cheeks as she fumbled to find page 10. She dropped the script once, twice before she found the appropriate page. She knew her face must be beet red by now.

'I've…I've got it,' she said.

'Then read,' he ordered.

They spent a grueling three hours reading the script, and Sarah felt mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted by the time the Wizard dismissed class. And that's exactly what it had felt like, Sarah decided as she gathered up her coat and purse. She'd felt like she was ten years old again and standing at the chalkboard in Mrs. Bender's math class, trying to work a long division problem. Mrs. Bender had been no kinder than Jared. Both had grilled relentlessly. She'd be surprised if anyone showed up for the next rehearsal.

'Not you, Sarah,' the dreaded voice said as she moved to follow the others out of the theater.

Gritting her teeth, she turned. Jared was seated behind the piano, busily writing on what looked like a score. Once in a while, he would hit a key or play a series of keys, and then he'd stop and scribble some more. He didn't seem to be at all aware of her. She glanced at her watch. If she didn't leave soon, she'd be late picking up Toby from school.

'In a hurry?'

He hadn't moved from his spot behind the piano. He was still writing. He must have eyes in the top of his head, she thought acidly.

'No, of course not.'

'You seem preoccupied with your timepiece.'

'I have to be somewhere in about 30 minutes.'

'A date?'

At three in the afternoon? Hardly.

'My brother's school lets out at three, and I'm supposed to pick him up.'

'You have a brother young enough to be in school?'

'He's in junior high.'

'Why doesn't his parents pick him up?'

'That would be a little difficult since they've been dead for ten years.'

For the first time, he stopped writing and looked up, his expression alert, like a cat that has just spied a mouse. 'Dead? How?'

'Car accident.' When he continued to stare at her, she felt compelled to elaborate. 'They were driving me back to college when it happened.'

'You were in the accident as well?'

She nodded. 'I got a nasty bump on my head, but I survived.'

An odd look crossed his face and then was gone. 'Any lasting effects?'

'A little memory loss, but I've learned to live with it.' She gave a humorless laugh. 'It's not like I've forgotten anything really important.'

'Haven't you?'

There was such a peculiar tone in his voice that Sarah frowned. It almost sounded as though he was accusing her of something. She tried to read his expression, but his head had dropped again, obscuring his features as he returned to tapping on the piano.

'And what about the brother?' He asked, hitting the same note several times. Talk about Chinese water torture, Sarah thought, irritated by the tap, tap, tapping. 'Was he in the accident too?"

'My stepmother got him a babysitter. He tended to get cranky when he was in a car too long,' she gave another humorless laugh, 'and if there was anything we didn't need in that car, it was more crankiness.'

'Still weren't getting along with your parents?'

Sarah stared at him. 'What do you mean 'still'? What do you know about my relationship with my parents?'

He shrugged. 'Nothing. I'm just basing my comment on what I've observed. I've noticed that adolescents rarely get along with their parents. In fact, they feel very resentful, especially when there's a much younger sibling in the household, and might even go as far as to seek outside assistance.'

'Outside assistance,' Sarah echoed, her frown deepening. 'What kind of outside assistance?'

He stood up. 'Don't you think we'd better go pick up your brother?'

'Oh, no,' she assured him, forgetting her question as she took a hasty step backwards. Her hand came up as if to ward him off. 'There's really no need for you to drive me.'

'If I don't drive you, you'll never get there in time.'

'He'll wait.'

'Sarah, Sarah,' he sighed, taking her arm and turning her toward the exit, 'when was you going to learn to stop arguing with me?'

And before she knew it, she was once again being hustled into the big black car. He moves at warp speed, she thought as the car door thudded closed in her face again. And he simply refused to take 'no' for an answer. He obviously knew more about being a Goblin King than Miles.

'Where to?' He asked as the car roared to life and sat purring under them like a barely restrained jungle car.

'You mean you don't know?'

He flashed the toothy grin. 'I am no more interested in the schools that little boys attend than I am in little girls screaming.'

'745 Elmwood Street.'

The car shot forward like a bullet out of a gun. Sarah clutched the armrests and thanked God for seat belts.

'What do you think of my musical?'

'W-w-what?' She stammered as they careened around a corner on what felt like two wheels.

'The musical. What do you think of it?'

'I fell in love with it the first time I…' she winced as they narrowly missed clipping the back end of a pick-up truck, '…read it.'

He shot her a glance. 'Why?'

_Keep your eyes on the road_, she wanted to scream. Instead, she said, somewhat breathlessly, 'I used to have a weakness for fairytales.'

'Used to,' he repeated, 'you sound as though you no longer believe in such things.'

'I don't.'

'Such a pity,' he murmured.

'Why would you say that?'

'What is life without fairytales?' He asked. 'Bloody dull, if you ask me.'

Sarah let out a little squeak as the car whipped from the far lane, across three lanes of traffic and onto an exit ramp.

He glanced at her. 'Something wrong?'

'Where the hell did you learn to drive?' She demanded. 'The Indy 500?'

'No,' Jared said, 'but I have thought that if I hadn't chosen music for a career, I might have liked to be a race car driver.'

'Oh, brother,' Sarah muttered. 'There's Toby's school up ahead. Do you think you can pull up to the curb without running over half a dozen kids?'

As soon as the black beast stopped, it was swarmed by pre-teens, all eager to touch and feel the big car. Faces pressed in on all sides. Jared, looking as though he'd dealt with such things before, immediately got out, and to Sarah amazement, the children parted for him like the Red Sea parting for Moses. They seemed to sense his authority.

'You touch it, you wash it,' he told one overly eager boy.

'Get your hands off that,' he ordered another. 'What do you think that is? A bloody maypole?'

Sarah had gotten out of the car too and was searching for Toby. She found him leaning against a wall, book bag slung over one shoulder, looking thoroughly disagreeable. Nice to see something things never change, Sarah thought, walking up to him.

'Come on, Toby, time to go home.'

He didn't move. His eyes were fixed on something beyond her. 'Who's that?'

Sarah turned, following his stare. 'That's Jared Kristal. I guess you could call him my boss. He's the writer/director/producer of the musical I'm in.'

'What's he doing here?'

'He's giving us a ride home.'

'I'd rather walk.'

'I would think a kid like you would love to ride home in the Batmobile.'

'That ain't a Batmobile. It's a Lamborghini. Don't you know anything?'

Sarah was fed up with his attitude. She grabbed his arm, pulled him away from the wall and shoved him in Jared's direction. 'Whatever it is, you're riding in it. I'm not walking.'

'The bus stop's not far from here.'

'Toby,' Sarah snapped, losing her patience, 'just stop, will you?'

Jared was leaning against the fender of the car, waiting for them, his hair gleaming like pale gold in the late afternoon sunlight. Sarah had no idea how he dispersed the teens so quickly, but they were gone, having run off to get on school buses or into parents' cars.

'So you're Toby,' he said when they stopped in front of him.

'I'm Toby.' The reply was defiant as though to say 'yeah, and what are you doing to do about it?'

Jared eyed the boy for a long, cool moment and then murmured mysteriously, 'You remind me of the babe.'

'What babe?'

'The babe with the power.'

'What power?'

'The power of hoo-doo.'

'Hoo-doo?'

'You do.'

'Do what?'

'Remind me of the babe.'

Toby scowled. 'That's stupid.'

'You're a mouthy little bugger, aren't you?'

Toby instantly turned to Sarah. 'Are you going to let him speak to me like that?'

'Just get in the car, Toby,' Sarah said, opening the door.

'But he called me a mouthy little bugger!'

'Maybe because you are.'

Jared let out a shout of laughter.

Sarah shot him a glance. 'You're not helping, you know.'

'Does anything?'

'Not much.'

The drive to the apartment was done in total silence. Toby sat in the back seat, clutching his book bag to his chest like a shield, his eyes boring holes into the back of Jared's head. If he felt Toby's eternal hatred, he gave no indication. In fact, he seemed completely unaware of anything around him. His thoughts were obviously elsewhere. Seeing as how neither male seemed inclined to conversation, Sarah merely clutched the armrests and wondered how a ten mile drive could seem so long when they were going so fast.

Finally the car pulled up in front of their apartment. Toby wasted no time scrambling out, but Sarah lingered. She leaned over, looking through the open door at Jared.

'You never said why you wanted me to stay behind at the theater.'

'Hmmm?'

'Was there a reason you wanted me to stay behind this afternoon?'

'Your lines need work.'

'I've only had the script for a couple weeks,' she pointed out, somewhat defensively.

Jared finally turned his head to look at her. 'I'm not criticizing you, Sarah. God knows Donnelly needs more work than you. The man has no concept of what it means to be a Goblin King.'

'It's Davison,' Sarah corrected, 'and if you felt that way about him, why did you give him the part?'

'I didn't. Cynthia chose him. She claims that his voice is perfect for the song repertoire.'

'You're the director. It's your musical. Isn't the final decision yours?'

'Yes,' he agreed, his voice deepening, 'the final decision is mine, but I had a revolt on my hands. The others were against you as the lead, but I wanted you, and I always get what I want, even if I have to accept a mealy-mouthed milksop as Goblin King.'

An odd feeling spread through Sarah as she stared at Jared, as his words swirled inside her head. _He wanted her?_ As the character Beth or…she felt her heart beat quicken. The look in his eyes was so intent yet so mysterious.

'I…appreciate your confidence in me,' she said, her voice sounding breathless. 'I'll do everything in my power not let you down.'

'Then you won't be opposed to personal coaching,' he said. 'I'll be expecting you at my penthouse this Saturday at 7 o'clock sharp.'

'But I can't leave Toby by himself.'

'Didn't you leave him alone when you were working at the diner?'

'I had the neighbor keep an eye on him.'

'Where's the neighbor?'

'She's in California visiting her daughter.'

Jared sighed. 'Very well, bring the little bugger with you. I'm sure I can find a way to amuse him.'

After giving her his address, the car roared off.

Sarah stared after him as she had done on that first night, but she didn't feel like Lois Lane this time around. She felt more like Eliza Doolittle. Personal coaching? Had she really agreed to that? After the grilling he'd given all of them that very afternoon? Was she actually going to let him focus all that intensity on her alone?

Yes, she decided, yes, she would. This was her big chance. This was her dream. He had even gone out on a line for her. Hitch your wagon to the Wizard, Jay has said. It looked as though she was going to do just that.

***SCENE CHANGE***

Jareth poured himself an extra-large snifter of brandy. It was one of the pleasures of the Aboveground that he found particularly enjoyable, especially when his personal demons were gnawing at him. A few sips would soothe and calm. Tonight, however, he needed more than a few sips. He had had some nasty shocks.

Sauntering over to an armchair, he sank into its cushions, throwing one leg over the arm as he contemplated the view outside his penthouse flat. The city lights glowed, some staying stationary, others constantly moving. So different from his goblin city, so very different. This world moved so fast and held such modern conveniences - electric lights instead of firepots, toilets instead of bogs – but of course, the humans had been forced to devise such things. They had no magic to make life easier.

Magic, he mused, taking a large sip of the brandy. It burnt a fiery trail down his throat, warming as it went. He'd been a fool not to negotiate limited magical powers with Dart. At least his crystals. If he'd had his crystals, he would have able to keep an eye on Sarah during the forced separation.

As a human, he couldn't be two places at once so he had had to choose – monitor Sarah or support himself. Since he'd had at eat, he'd chosen the latter. Besides, the more power and influence he could gain in this world, the better his position when he put his revenge in motion. Unfortunately, he hadn't expected the unexpected.

He frowned into his brandy. She'd forgotten him. At first, he'd been sure that she'd been playing some game, but now it had been confirmed. A car accident had stolen her memory of the labyrinth, and that drastically altered his plans. How could he take revenge on a person who didn't even know the reason why? There was no satisfaction in that.

So if he was to have any revenge at all, she must remember, and if reading the script of _The Goblin King_ hadn't jolted her memory, what would? The play was merely the _Labyrinth_ put to music. With a few edits, of course. There was no need for those irritating friends of hers, but…he frowned. Maybe the addition of those 'friends' would help in bringing back lost memories. No, he decided, taking a large drink of brandy, if she didn't remember _him_, why would she remember _them_? He would simply have to be patient, which was no easier for Jared, the human, as it had been for Jareth, the Goblin King.

His second shock had occurred when he discovered how very little she had to take away. He had had a Kingdom. She had nothing but a seedy apartment, a bratty brother and a dead end job at a diner. By the bog, if it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't even have an acting career. This was _not _how he had planned it. Revenge didn't consist of _helping_ one's enemy, but what else could he do? Now that she'd stumbled into his sphere of influence, she must remain.

Besides, he admitted, she had been the best one for the part. And why wouldn't she be? He'd written the part of Beth with Sarah in mind. Beth _was_ Sarah. Unfortunately, his colleagues hadn't realized that. They had wanted someone with more experience. If he'd had his power, he would have turned them all into goblins and been done with it, but as a human, he'd been forced to compromise. Compromise, he thought, lip curling, that was one of more annoying things about being human.

The brandy snifter was empty, and he got up to re-filled it before returning to the armchair. He was feeling much more relaxed, mellow even. The brandy was working. His thoughts began to drift, and they drifted from revenge on Sarah to just Sarah.

Dart had been right to make him wait ten years. She was a woman now, more shapely, more beautiful than before, and no matter how hard he tried to suppress it he still wanted her for his own. All the anger, all the hurt, and the all humiliation he'd nursed for years wasn't enough to kill it. As soon as he'd seen her again, it had raged to life like a kindling thrown into a banked fire.

Yes, he mused, sinking into a half dose, all his plans were ruined. _But_, a small voice murmured somewhere in his muzzy mind, _all was not lost_. Her memory loss might just be the angle you're looking for. Without the prejudices of the past to influence her thinking, might she be persuaded to love a Goblin King or rather an ex-Goblin King? Wouldn't that be the sweetest revenge of all? To make the girl who wouldn't love him, love him?

The empty brandy glass fell to the floor with a soft thud as Jareth fell asleep, a new plan taking shape in his mind.


	4. Chapter 4 - Disobedient Little Boys

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_Disobedient Little Boys_

'I'm not going,' Toby declared.

'Toby, I haven't got time for this,' Sarah warned, fastening an earring as she hurried out of her bedroom. She stopped at the hallway mirror, fluffed her dark hair and then continued into the living room where she began rummaging through her purse. 'The taxi will be any minute.'

'Why can't I stay here?'

'Because Mrs. Catalina is in California, and you're too young to stay here by yourself.'

'Brad stays by himself, and he's the same age as I am.'

'You're not Brad.'

'But it's weird,' Toby whined, 'I don't want to go on your date.'

'It's not a date,' Sarah told him, pulling a stick of lip gloss out of her purse and quickly applying it. 'It's work.'

'It doesn't look like work,' he muttered. 'You look like you're expecting him to kiss you or something.'

Sarah whirled around, color rushing to her face. 'He isn't going to kiss me. He's my boss.'

Toby studied the toes of his shoes. 'I don't think that matters to him.'

'You don't like him do you?'

'He called me a mouthy bugger.'

'The truth hurts, kiddo,' she said, shrugging into her best coat, a black wool knee length that had once belonged to Karen.

A horn honked outside.

'That's the taxi. Come on, let's go.'

Toby remained on the couch, his expression obstinate. With a sigh of impatience, Sarah hauled him to his feet, giving him a shove toward the door as she picked up his jacket. Pushing him in front her, she locked the door and then herded him down the communal hallway and stairs and then outside and into the waiting taxi.

'Here,' she said, tossing the jacket at him, 'put it on. It's cold out here.'

Something white and square fell onto the floor of the taxi. Toby reached for it, but Sarah got there first. She picked up a pack of cigarettes. There were only seven left.

Her eyes went to Toby. 'Are these yours?'

'Come on, lady,' the taxi driver grumbled, 'I ain't got all night. There are other people waiting, you know.'

Sarah got in, gave the driver the address and then turned back to Toby.

'You didn't answer me. Are those cigarettes yours?'

'No,' he said, 'they belong to a friend of mine.'

'Then what were they doing in your pocket?'

'I was keeping them for him.'

'Toby, have you been smoking?'

'What if I have? What's it to you?'

'You're twelve years old,' Sarah exclaimed. 'That's far too young to start smoking, and besides, it's bad for you. Do you want to get lung cancer?'

'It'll be years before that happens.'

'What would dad say if he knew?'

'Nothing,' Toby said flatly, 'because he's dead.'

It was obvious she was getting nowhere with him, and she was at a lost as to what to do. How did parents handle things like this? She had no idea. When she worked at the diner she could get advice from Donna who had two grown boys, but now she was like a boat without a rudder. If he was smoking cigarettes at age twelve, would he be smoking pot at fifteen? Such a thought alarmed her and resentment at being a 'single' parent bubbled up inside of her. He wasn't even her kid! Why should she have to deal with stuff like this?

It was a relief when the taxi pulled up to the curb in front of Jared's penthouse, and she could escape for a few hours the reality that she had to do something about her brother's ever increasing rebelliousness. Of course, that relief was short-lived once she saw the building in which Jared' apartment was located.

It was all sleek steel and glass and seemed to glitter with a thousand lights. Both she and Toby stood for several seconds just staring upward. Neither had seen, let alone entered something so spectacular.

'He lives on top of that?' Toby asked, sounding a little awestruck.

Sarah's eyes went to the street number emblazoned above revolving doors. 'It's the address he gave me.'

A doorman in smart blue livery met them as they entered, politely inquiring whom they were there to see, and then directing them to a bank of gleaming silver elevators doors, which opened to reveal lush red carpet and more gleaming silver. The ride up was smooth and noiseless and within seconds, the doors were sliding back. At the end of a long marble hallway was a pair of large, elaborately carved ebony doors.

Sarah hesitated. She was beginning to feel very out of place. Their little apartment seemed like a hovel compared to this, and she felt ashamed that he'd seen it, but of course, she reminded herself, it wasn't as though she'd had a choice.

'What are you waiting for?' Toby asked, looking at her.

She glanced at her watch. 'It's not seven yet. We've got one minute to go.'

'It'll take that long just to get there.'

And before she could stop him, Toby sprinted forward and rang the doorbell. She hurried after him, getting there just as the left door opened.

Jared stood on the threshold. Once again, he was dressed in black, but this time the style was no longer modern. He wore tight leggings tucked in shiny black boots with a black and silver vest over a white shirt with flowing collar and lace cuffs. Sarah frowned. Maybe that sneering cast member was right. Maybe Jared didn't know what century he lived in.

'Good evening, Sarah, Toby,' he said. 'Thirty seconds to spare. I'm impressed. Please come in. Dinner is waiting.'

'Dinner?' Sarah echoed. 'You didn't say anything about dinner.'

He flashed those eyeteeth. 'What kind of host would I be if I didn't feed you? Besides,' his eyes ran over her, 'you're dressed for the Ritz.'

Toby snickered.

If his attire was a surprise, the décor of his home was even more so. Sarah felt as though she was entering a castle rather than a penthouse. The floor was stone, and the entrance way was lit by lanterns holding candles fat with wax drippings. Richly colored tapestries hung on the walls, and there was a suit of armor in one corner.

'This place is spooky,' Toby whispered to her.

'Shhhh!'

They passed through what must be the living room - to Sarah's relief she saw a modern sofa and two armchairs - and then into a rectangular room that held a long ebony table and chairs. Three place settings had been laid and in the middle of each was a silver domed platter. Jared snapped his fingers and suddenly a squat little man appeared who took their coats and then departed.

'He's got an Igor,' Toby hissed behind his hand. 'I bet Frankenstein's in the kitchen.'

'Shhhh!'

'If the two of you can forgo whispering for a few minutes,' Jared said in a bored sort of way, 'please be seated. No, not there,' he told Toby as the boy went for the chair at the head of table, 'that's where I sit. Take the seat to the left.'

'Just like school,' Toby grumbled, 'assigned seats.'

His spirits did improve, however, when he lifted the dome and found pepperoni pizza.

Sarah lifted hers, expecting pizza and was surprised by a perfectly seared filet mignon with grilled asparagus tips. She glanced at Jared. 'Did you cook this?'

'Great bog, no,' he exclaimed as though the idea of him cooking was preposterous, 'I have a cook that comes in daily to prepare my meals when I'm here. The man who took your coat is her husband.'

'Is her name Frankenstein?' Toby asked around a mouth full of pizza.

'As a matter of fact, it is,' Jared murmured, lifting his own dome, 'and her husband's name is Igor. I've asked them to entertain you while your sister and I work. They'll show you my laboratory. I'm sure you'll find it fascinating.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

'That was a dirty trick you pulled on Toby,' Sarah noted. 'He loves pepperoni pizza, and he didn't even finish half of it. He looked a little green when you mentioned a laboratory.'

'Is that censure or admiration I hear in your voice?'

Jared was seated behind a gleaming black piano that took up a significant part of the living room. His head was bent over the keys as his fingers picked out a lilting melody. A waltz, Sarah realized.

'I suppose he deserved it. He was being a little beast as usual.'

He glanced up. 'Problems?'

'No,' Sarah quickly denied, 'what makes you think that?'

'Something in your voice. Tell me.'

To Sarah's surprise, she heard herself saying, 'A pack of cigarettes fell out of his jacket on the ride over here.'

'Rather young to be smoking, isn't it?'

'Yes, very young.'

'And you're afraid it's going to lead to worse things.'

'Isn't that the usual way of things?'

He shrugged. 'I wouldn't know. We have a different method for dealing with obstinate youngsters where I come from. We…transformed them, so to speak.'

'Where do you come from?'

The smile flashed. 'Haven't you read my bio? It's all over the Internet.'

'Er, no,' Sarah admitted uncomfortably. 'I don't follow rock stars.'

'How refreshing. I wish other women shared your aversion,'

'Do your fans bother you?'

'No, not really,' he said, one corner of his mouth kicking upwards in a cynical sort of a smile, 'that's one of the advantages of performing in costume. Without it, they can't pick you out of a crowd.'

His head went down again and he began to hum and then sing. As Sarah listened her thoughts drifted. In her mind's eyes she saw white ball gowns and beribboned masks. She could see it so clearly…so…she squinted, trying to see…the music had stopped. She looked at Jared. He was staring at her, his expression enigmatic.

'What were you thinking of just now?' He asked.

'Ball gowns and masks.'

'Was that all?' His voice was sharp, demanding.

Sarah took a step back, startled by his sudden intensity. 'Yes, I think so. Why?'

'You had a strange look on your face. It's the exact look Beth has on her face when she sees the Goblin King at the masquerade. Perhaps that's why you thought of ball gowns and masks. You were remembering the scene.'

'Yes,' Sarah said slowly, 'I expect so.'

'Remember that expression. It'll help you with that scene when the time comes. Now why don't we get busy on that script?' A sudden twinkle lit his eyes. 'If we don't, then this would be a date, and then I'd be forced to kiss you, wouldn't I?'

Sarah was glad for the blush she'd applied earlier. It hid the red color surging into her cheeks at his words. Fumbling through the papers lying atop the piano, she said, 'Er, where should we start?'

***SCENE CHANGE***

Toby crept down the hallway. He was bored playing video games with goblins in them. A fellow could only kick so many of them before he got tired. Besides, there were more important things to do.

He could hear Sarah speaking in the living room. She sounded funny, and she was saying funny things so he guessed she must be practicing her lines. _Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen._ Toby rolled his eyes. Goblins again.

Stopping beside one door, he poked his head around the corner. Bathroom. He crept further on. The next door opened into a bedroom with a huge four poster bed covered in dark blue brocade. An eerie green glow was coming from a far corner. Intrigued, Toby tiptoed inside and was disappointed to find the light coming from a large sunken tub.

Leaving the bedroom, he tried the last door along the hallway. It opened easily, and he slipped inside, closing it behind him. He searched for a light switch but found none. From the light coming in through the windows, he could see what looked like a desk, and he groped his way toward it. A couple of seconds later, he found a lamp and then a pull chain. Dim, muted light filled the room.

It was a study or a den or something, Toby decided, glancing around. There were books, very old books lining the walls, and when Toby read some of the titles, he was even more convinced that Jared was one spooky guy. Most of the titles concerned magic, shape-shifting and crystals, but there were quite a few about goblins, fairies, ogres and elves. His fingers walked along the spines, and he repeated each title as he went. _Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp…Bluebeard…Beauty and the Beast…Rapunzel… Labyrinth…Red Rose…_

Bored with reading titles, he turned, hoping to find something more interesting, and then froze as his eyes fell on a painting. It was of a dark-haired girl in a white and silver ball gown. _Sarah_! The girl was younger, but it was definitely his sister's face gazing down at him. Toby scowled. He _knew_ that guy was up to no good.

'I see you're a little snoop as well as a brat.'

Toby jumped, whirling around to face the door where Jared stood looking very large and intimidating.

'I…I was looking for the bathroom.'

'You passed it two doors down.'

Toby's chin jutted out defiantly. 'Why do you have a picture of my sister on your wall?'

Jared's eyes shifted to the painting. 'You're mistaken, Toby. That's a picture of the character your sister's playing in my musical. Her name is Beth, and I have a painting of her on my wall because she's my inspiration.'

"I don't believe it,' Toby declared. 'I think you're lying, and I'm going to tell Sarah that you've got a picture of her on your wall.'

'A bloody tattletale as well,' Jared noted dryly before asking, 'Do you think she'll believe you?'

'I'm her brother.'

'A brother who has lied to her quite frequently lately. In fact, you attempted to lie to her about the cigarettes this evening, didn't you?'

'How do you know about that?'

Jared stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He was tired of exchanging words with this mouthy little bugger. It was time to lay down the law like he used to do with the goblins. After all, what were children except untransformed goblins?

He came within a few feet of Toby before saying very clearly, 'I don't appreciate little boys poking their noses into my personal space. I don't want to find you in here again. Is that clear?'

'Don't worry,' Toby retorted. 'I'm not coming back.'

'I think that depends on your sister, don't you?'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'It means that I intend to make a habit of inviting your sister here and elsewhere. You might as well accept it, Toby, I'm going to be permanent fixture in your life from now on, and as such, there's going to be some changes around here.'

Before Toby could think of a suitable comeback, Jared walked over to the door, opened it and snapped his fingers. Igor appeared. 'Take Master Toby to the kitchen and have Gretel stuff him full of cake.'

'As you wish, sir.'

And Toby, resentment building to a colossal level, was frog-marched into the kitchen where a piece of chocolate cake was set before him.

***SCENE CHANGE***

Sarah was dreaming of ball gowns and masks. They swirled around her, bumping into her, laughing at her, and out the shimmering chaos of gowns and masks appeared the Goblin King. But it wasn't Miles' face she saw. It was Jared's. She frowned in her sleep. His pale hair was longer and shaggier, and his eyes were mismatched rather than blue. She stared at him, and he took her into his arms and they began to dance, the ball gowns and masks continuing to collide with them. And then there came the deep bonging of a clock.

'Toby!'

'He's in the kitchen eating cake,' Jared told her.

She sat up on the sofa where she'd fallen asleep. Jared was sitting in an armchair opposite, one leg negligently thrown over the arm. He held a snifter of brandy between his hands.

'I…I heard a clock…'

He nodded his head toward the gas fireplace that dominated one end of the room. 'Clock on the mantel, striking midnight.'

'Midnight?' She gasped. 'That late? We should be going.'

'Don't rush off on my account,' Jared said, taking a sip of his brandy. 'I'm a night owl.'

'No, really, we have to go,' she insisted, getting up. 'If you could call me a cab, I'd appreciate it.'

He made to get up. 'I'll drive you.'

A white knuckle drive at midnight in the Batmobile was the last thing she wanted, especially when she was feeling so unsettled, so unbalanced. The dream had felt so real…_too real._ She just wanted to go home…in a nice, slow, undemanding taxi.

'No, thank you, Mr. Kristal, you've done more than enough for one evening.' She glanced around. Where had she put her purse? She could call for a taxi with her cell phone.

'Jared. Call me Jared.'

'Do you think that's wise?' She asked, dropping to her hands and knees. It had to be here somewhere. She peered under the sofa. 'I don't want to appear too familiar in front of the rest of the cast.'

'Looking for this?'

He was holding out the elusive purse.

'Yes, thank you.'

'I found Toby in my study,' Jared said as she rummaged through her purse, looking for the phone. Her fingers closed around hard plastic. Got it! 'What are you going to do about him, Sarah?'

She looked up at him, the cell phone forgotten. 'I don't know. I suppose I'll have to do what other parents do – ground him or something.'

'He needs an authority figure in his life.'

'I provide him with authority.'

'If that were true, he wouldn't be such a brat.'

'Are you saying I'm a bad mother?'

'No,' Jared replied, 'I'm saying that he needs a father.'

Sarah jumped to her feet. 'Well, I'm not in the market for one of those so he's going to have to make do with me. I'll figure out something. I always do.'

Before Jared could say anything else, she hurriedly dialed the taxi company.

***SCENE CHANGE***

'No, no, no,' Jared yelled, storming onto the stage. 'That's not how the Goblin King dances! He doesn't prance about like some popinjay. You look like a bloody marionette.'

'I'm dancing the only way I know how,' Miles retorted, clearly frustrated with once again being Jared's target.

In the last three weeks, Jared had increasingly focused his attacks on Miles. The rest of the cast suffered their fair share of criticism, but Miles was the preferred whipping boy. It was obvious that Jared didn't think Miles had what it takes, and it showed in increasing fierce arguments between the two.

'You dance with no authority,' Jared complained. 'She could be leading you as easily as you could be leading her. You're got to take charge, Daniels.'

'It's Davison,' Miles snapped, 'Davison, Davison, Davison. I've told you a thousand times that it's Davison.'

'Are you through now?' Jared asked, clearly unimpressed.

'No,' Miles retorted, 'I'm not. I don't know what the hell you're talking about. I never know what you're talking about.'

'Do I have to show you?'

'By all means,' Miles demurred, extending his hand in Sarah's direction.'

Sarah had no opportunity to prepare herself, to put herself in the role of Beth, before she found herself in the Goblin King's arms. A hard arm went around her waist, pulling her close. She looked up and found herself gazing into a pair of fierce eyes. She didn't know if they appeared that way because of his argument with Miles or because he was acting the part, but she felt devoured by their intensity.

'That's right, Sarah,' Jared murmured as he took her into the first turn, 'you're a young girl falling in love for the first time. Magnificent. That's exactly the look I want.'

Her heart quickened, and she felt a little breathless as he led her around the stage. She had to admit that he knew what he was talking about. In Jared's arms, she felt like she was dancing with a king. His movements were strong and assured. There was no doubt in his mind that the girl in his arms was his.

How did he know so much about being a Goblin King, she wondered, frowning.

'Why the frown?'

'I was wondering how you know so much about being a Goblin King.'

He stared down at her, his expression enigmatic, and then he said quite coolly, 'Because I am the Goblin King.'

Sarah missed a step. Surely he was joking. Perhaps he meant that when he was acting the part, he became the part. Whatever he'd meant, she was glad when he finally released her and turned to Miles. 'And that,' he declared with a theatrical flourish, 'is how you dance like a Goblin King.'

'It didn't look any different to me,' Miles muttered.

'Shall we ask the expert?' Jared turned to Sarah. 'Tell us, Miss Williams, was there a difference?'

She looked at Miles, her expression apologetic. 'I'm sorry, Miles, but he's right. There was a difference.'

'Bravo, Miss Williams, bravo,' Jared cheered. 'Well said.' He scooped up his portfolio and stalked off the stage, tossing over his shoulder. 'Dismissed.'

Sarah turned to leave, but a hand on her arm stopped her. She looked up.

'Were you just saying that to humor the bastard or was there really a difference?' Miles asked.

'I don't really know what it was,' she told him, 'but he danced like a king. He _was_ the Goblin King while you feel like you're pretending to be one.'

'Damn,' Miles muttered, 'I hate it when that bastard is right.' He shot her a glance. 'Maybe if we practiced together. You know, go out dancing some night. I know the perfect place. What do you say? Will you help me get the beast off my back?'

'Sure, I'd be happy to.'

'How about Saturday night?'

Mrs. Catalina was back from California and could watch Toby. 'Yeah, sure, that would be great.'

'I'll pick you up at seven.'

She had just finished writing down her address for Miles when her cell phone rang.

'Hello?'

'Mrs. Williams?

'This is Sarah Williams.'

'This is Mr. Brand, principal of Nathan Hale Junior High. There's been a bit of trouble with Toby, and I'd like you to come down to the school as soon as possible.'

'I'll be there in about twenty minutes.'

She was rushing out of the theater when she ran into Jared….literally. He had to put out his hands to stop her from falling backwards.

'Sarah, I was just coming to find you. We need to go over the second act. It's rough.'

'I can't,' she said, breathless, 'I just got a call from Toby's school. They want me to come down there as soon as possible.'

'I'll drive you.'

For once, Sarah wasn't going to protest. The Batmobile was the faster way from point A to point B. 'Thanks.'

Fifteen minutes later, they were ushered into the principal's office.

'I'm glad you could come so quickly, Mr. and Mrs. Williams,' the principal began.

'I'm not married,' Sarah interrupted, 'I mean we're not married. I mean…'

'She means that Toby is her brother,' Jared said smoothly. 'His parents are dead. Sarah's his legal guardian.'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' Mr. Brand apologized, looking down at the file on his desk. 'I should have known that. Here it is in his file. I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with Toby's background. This is the first time he's been in trouble.' He gave a short laugh. 'As you can imagine I become quite familiar with the kids that show up in my office on a regular basis.'

'What happened?' She wasn't interested in idle chit-chat.

'Your brother was in a fight this afternoon. We've interviewed the witnesses and have spoken to all parties involved and it fairly conclusive that he started it. He even admitted as much. The punishment for such behavior is two days in school suspension, but during our interview with him, we found this.' He opened his top desk drawer and removed an item, which he pushed across the desk. It was a pocketknife. 'We have a zero tolerance policy where weapons are concerned, Miss Williams. I'm afraid we'll have to suspend him for three days.'

***SCENE CHANGE***

'I can't believe this,' Sarah said as she and Jared sat in the office while Mr. Brand went to get Toby. 'I…I can't seem to control him anymore. I don't know what's wrong with him. I…I don't know what to do.' She gave a little laugh. 'I almost wish I could wish him away like Beth does to Davey in your musical. '

Jareth watched as Sarah turned the pocketknife over and over in her hands. He ought to be reveling in her distress, but he wasn't. In fact, he was feeling a great deal of anger at that little toad for upsetting her. If he'd had his powers, Toby would be hanging by his thumbs in the Bog of Eternal Stench. He should have turned the little monster into a goblin when Sarah had first wished him away.

'I didn't want this job, you know,' she said with a suspicious sniff, 'I would really like to give him back to Dad and Karen.' She gave a soggy sounding laugh. 'You know, for the first time, I understand what they went through with me when I was a teenager. I…' another sniff, 'I wish I could tell them I'm sorry.'

Jareth shifted uncomfortably in the hard plastic chair that Mr. Brand had called a 'seat'. He wasn't really good with tears and seeing Sarah's made something inside of him ache in a most abominable way. It was most unbecoming for a Goblin King to feel such compassion, even an ex one.

'Did I tell you that we were arguing when the accident happened?'

'I believe you said something to that effect,' he said, hoping she wouldn't elaborate.

'I don't even remember what we were arguing about,' she sighed, wiping the back of her hand across her cheek to remove yet another tear.

_She_ _didn't remember a lot of things,_ Jareth thought bitterly as he jumped to his feet and began to pace, which was not an easy task in such a minuscule office. He had to do something to stop those tears. Each one that rolled down her cheek was like a flaming arrow to his heart. Once again, he wished Toby to the bog for causing such distress to his sister…and to _himself!_ The little scab.

He returned to the 'seat', sat for a moment uncertain what to do - an unusual occurrence for him - before he finally took action. He removed the knife from her hands, placed in on the desk and then turned her to face him. Large green eyes looked up at him, dark lashes wet with tears.

'Don't cry,' he said huskily, 'I'll have a talk with him.'

'I doubt it'll do much good,' she warned. 'He doesn't like you. He even tried to convince me that you have a picture of me on your wall. How ridiculous! We only meet a month or so ago.'

'He doesn't have to like me to obey me,' Jareth informed her.

How many of his subjects in the Underground had liked him? None…yet they obeyed him because they feared him. Even Hoggle, half in love with Sarah himself, had given her the peach because he had feared what Jareth would do. The solution to Toby seemed easy enough. He just needed some good, old-fashioned fear put in him.

'Just give me a few minutes with him in my study, and I promise you he'll be a transformed boy.'

'I suppose it's worth a try,' Sarah said, still sounding doubtful. 'I'll go out and pick up some Chinese for dinner while you talk to him.'

'Chinese?'

'Don't you like Chinese take-out?' Her voice seemed to indicate that everyone loved Chinese take-out. 'If not, I could get a pizza instead.'

'Chinese will be…fine,' he forced himself to say.

He detested take-out of any sort, but he had survived goblin grub so he guessed he could survive won-tons and eggrolls.

***SCENE CHANGE***

'Have a seat, Toby,' Jareth ordered, ushering the boy into his study.

'I thought you said I wasn't allowed in here,' Toby said.

If the boy didn't already have a black eye and a cut lip, Jareth would have been mightily tempted to box his ears.

'If I invite you, then you're allowed.'

Jareth closed the door and locked it. He did not want to be disturbed.

'Where's my sister?'

'She went out to get dinner. Now sit down like I told you to.'

'I'd rather stand.'

'SIT DOWN!'

The full force of Goblin King fury went into those two words, and Toby sat. He even had the grace to look a little worried.

Jareth settled himself in the large leather chair behind the ebony desk. He leaned back, placing his boot heels on one corner. He pretended to study the ceiling for a couple minutes, building suspension – as a Goblin King he savored the dramatic – and then his gaze dropped to the boy across from him. 'Do you remember the conversation we had that night I caught you snooping?'

'Yeah.'

'I said there were going to be changes, didn't I?'

'Yeah. What of it?'

'Those changes are going to begin now,' Jareth informed him. 'From this moment forward, you're going to be the model child. You're going to do your homework without having to be asked. You're never going to touch another cigarette, let alone smoke it, and you're not going to pick any more fights at school. You're going to treat your sister with respect and obey her. In other words, you're going to be transformed.'

'Oh, yeah,' Toby sneered, his bravado returning. 'Who's going to make me?'

'I am.'

'You have no power over me.'

Toby couldn't have chosen worse words with which to taunt the Goblin King. They felt like acid, eating its way into Jareth's wounded ego. Perhaps he had no power over Sarah, but he did have power over her brother.

'Oh, Toby, I'm much more than that,' Jareth said softly, his voice becoming as dangerous as a snake's rattle. 'Do you know what happens to disobedient little boys?'

'What?'

'They get turned into goblins.'

'That's only happens in fairytales,' Toby scoffed, 'and fairytales aren't real.'

'Aren't they?'

'No, they're not.'

Jareth stared at the child over steepled fingers. It was risky to let the little brat see exactly who and what he was, but it was a risk he had to take. The only way to scare the bog out of him was to…well…scare the bog out of him. He wouldn't allow the little bugger to continue upsetting Sarah. There would be no more tears.

'Toby, Toby,' he sighed, feigning regret, 'I tried to do this the easy way, but you are a stubborn child. It appears that I'm going to have to show you.'

'Show me what?'

Rising from behind the desk like a phoenix rising from ashes, Jareth lifted his head and thundered, 'Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, come to me.'

At first there was nothing, not a sound, not a flutter of a drape, and Toby began to smirk, but then the French doors leading to the rooftop patio burst open and a large white eagle soared inside. Toby dived for the floor as the bird narrowly missed his head. With a flash and shimmer of light, Dart stood in the study, looking extremely displeased.

'What's the meaning of this, Jareth?' He demanded. 'You know I detest the Aboveground, and I'm most displeased that you've brought me here.'

'I apologize, brother, but I need to ask a favor of you.'

'A favor? What kind of favor?'

'I need you to turn this disobedient little boy into a goblin.'

Dart turned, his high-collared cape swirling around his boots, as he searched for the boy. He found Toby on the floor beside the chair, his arms over his head.

'This boy?' He asked, clearly unimpressed. 'He hardly seems worth the effort.'

'I assure you that he's well worth it,' Jareth replied. 'In fact, this is the baby I was asked to take. He's as mouthy now as he was as a babe.'

Dart looked at his brother, his gaze speculative. 'So you've found her, have you? I see you didn't waste any time reuniting with your bit of fluff.'

'Believe it or not, she found me first.'

'She came looking for you?' Dart asked, clearly skeptical. 'Balderdash!'

'It doesn't matter who found who,' Jareth snapped, annoyed by his brother's disbelief. Didn't he think an attractive young woman might want to find him? 'What matters is that this boy is making her life a living bog.'

'Well, isn't that what you wanted? It seems to me that if you're bent on revenge, the best thing to do is to let the boy go on as he is.'

'It's my revenge, and I'll handle it as I think best,' Jareth retorted. Dart always was an opinionated blighter. He didn't need to be reminded that he was doing the very opposite of what he'd said he wanted. 'Might I remind you that if you hadn't taken away my powers, I wouldn't have had to disturb you?'

'Oh, very well,' Dart sighed, turning to the boy at his feet.

Toby, however, was no longer there. He'd taken the opportunity of their exchange to creep across the room. His hand was fumbling with the lock when he was discovered. Dart wasted no time. Producing a crystal, he hurled it at the boy. There was a flash of light and a loud **POOF** and Toby was no longer Toby. He was a fat green goblin with hairy ears and a long, thin nose.

The goblin looked down at his green belly and stubby fingers and cried, 'I'm green!'

'Would you prefer blue?' Dart asked with an inquiring lift of one pale brow.

'Oh, my God, I'm a goblin, I'm a goblin,' the little creature blubbered.

'You ought to be glad she won him back from you,' Dart noted dryly. 'He's obviously a screamer.'

As if to prove the High King right, the goblin started pounding on the door, yelling, 'Sarah! Sarah!'

'I think that's a sufficient amount of time to get my point across,' Jareth said. 'You may turn him back now.'

'Are you sure? He'll tell the girl. His kind always do.'

'Sarah has lost all recollection of her time in the Underground. She doesn't believe in us anymore. That's what happens when humans grow up. They stop believing.' Jareth paused, surprised at the sorrow he felt for Sarah's lost innocence, but he quickly shook it off and said with his old confidence. 'If he tells her, she'll think him mad or making up stories again.'

Dart regarded him for a long moment, his expression thoughtful. 'She's forgotten you?'

'Yes. A concussion in an accident.'

Without another word, Dart turned and waved a gloved hand. The goblin became a boy again, pounding on the door and yelling for his sister.

'I'll leave the mopping up to you.'

In another shimmer of light, the High King departed.

'Toby,' Jareth said sternly as he took the boy by the shoulder, 'stop it! Why are you yelling?'

'I'm a goblin, I'm a goblin!'

He gave the boy a shake. 'Stop it. Stop this internal caterwauling at once. You're not a goblin. You must have been dreaming.'

Toby stopped yelling and looked down at his belly and hands. Then he glanced suspiciously around the room. 'Where's the dude with the cape?'

'I don't know who you're talking about.'

'The Goblin King. You saw him. You _called_ him!'

Jareth laughed. 'What a fertile imagination you have.'

'But he was here,' Toby insisted. 'He turned me into a goblin.'

'And why would he do something like that?'

Man and boy exchanged a long look. Jareth could see the doubt in the boy's dark eyes. He could also see the wariness caused by fear.

'Because,' Toby said slowly, 'I was disobedient.'

Jareth flashed a smile of approval. 'And there's going to be changes, right?'

'Right.'

'I think I hear your sister in the kitchen,' Jareth said, unlocking the door and holding it open. 'I hope you like eggrolls. I have a terrible feeling there's going to be plenty of them.'


	5. Chapter 5 - Running Up the White Flag

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_Running Up the White Flag_

'When you said dancing, I didn't expect the most exclusive club in town,' Sarah shouted as she and Miles wove their way through the maze of tables ringing an octagon-shaped dance floor.

The music was loud and modern. She would have preferred a nightclub playing classic jazz. She found it hard to believe that he'd learn anything about dancing like a Goblin King in a place like this, but this was Miles' idea, not hers.

'Hey, this is _the _spot,' Miles shouted back as they staked their claim on an empty table. 'Everybody who's anybody comes here.'

'I thought we were here to work on your dancing, not see everybody who's anybody.'

'Of course, that's our main goal,' he agreed, stretching his neck to see who was seated nearby, 'but it won't hurt to have a look around and see who's here. We've got our careers to think of, and I hear that all the best theater folk come here. Look,' he motioned at something behind her left shoulder, 'there's Gary Burton.'

Sarah had no idea who Gary Burton was, but she turned obligingly in her seat to take a look. Nothing but a couple of bald guys. She supposed that one of them must be the fabulous Mr. Burton. It was going to be a very long night if she was going to have to take a look at every person Miles pointed out.

'Want to dance?' She asked.

'Sure,' Miles said, 'just let me order some drinks first. Any preferences?'

'Just a Coke with lemon.'

'A teetotaler, eh?'

Sarah shrugged. 'I just never acquired the taste for it.'

Miles stood up to go get the drinks and then abruptly sat down again. 'Damn,' he swore, 'even on my time off, I can't get away from that guy.'

'Who?'

'The great and powerful Oz,' Miles muttered.

'I don't…'

'The Wizard,' Miles interrupted impatiently. 'He just walked in.'

Sarah craned her neck, trying to see what Miles had seen. The only person she saw lingering in the doorway was an incredibly tall, thin woman with sleek dark hair that fell in a twisted braid down her back. She seemed to be waiting for someone, and then Sarah saw who it was she was waiting for. Jared had emerged from wherever he'd been hiding. He took the woman's arm and together they entered the club.

'Who's the woman with him?'

'Sydney Larkin, the supermodel. She's been in Paris doing a photo shoot. I hear they're quite an item when they're both in the same place at the same time, which isn't often.'

_Quite an item_, Sarah repeated, something that felt suspiciously like instant dislike welling up inside her as she watched Sydney Larkin slink through the club as if she were on a runway. Well, what did she expect? Rock stars always had supermodel girlfriends. They never bothered with ordinary women. _Like you_, a silent voice asked_. Oh, shut up_, she told the voice.

'Oh, double damn,' Miles was saying, practically squirming in his seat, 'they're coming this way. Come on. Let's dance. He'll never see us in the crowd.'

'I'm not going anywhere,' Sarah stated. 'If you're so scared of him, why don't you go get those drinks?'

'I'm not scared of him,' Miles protested. 'He just puts my back up with his constant nagging. It's like being married. Nag, nag, nag. Hell, if he thinks he can do a better job of it, then why isn't he playing the lead?'

But Sarah wasn't listening. She was watching Jared and Sydney approach. Like Miles, she wanted to run, but another part of her wanted Jared to know that it didn't bother her in the least that he had a supermodel on his arm, and it was that part of her that boldly met his eyes as he and Sydney were about to pass.

He stopped, forcing Sydney to stop as well. The supermodel frowned. 'Jared, pumpkin, why are we stopping? Nikki and Giovanni are on the other side of the floor.'

_Pumpkin_, Sarah thought, rolling her eyes, _oh please! _

Jared ignored the model. 'Hello, Sarah.' His eyes went to Miles, 'Damien. A surprise seeing the two of you here tonight, especially you, Sarah.' His eyes were back on her, slicing into her like blue laser beams. 'When I suggested working on your lines tonight, you told me that you'd promised to take Toby and a friend to a movie.'

Sarah winced inwardly. She'd forgotten about that. At the time, lying had seemed so much easier than telling Jared that she'd already agreed to go dancing with Miles. As it was she'd had a hell of time just discouraging him from joining her and Toby at the theater. The man had a real issue with the word 'no'. He ought to be in therapy for it.

'I decided to take your advice and show a little authority,' she told him. 'I grounded him. No movies, no video games, no computer.'

He didn't believe her. She could tell by the fierce, bad-tempered scowl that rolled across his face like a thundercloud.

'So,' she said brightly, 'aren't you going to introduce us to your date?'

'Is there any reason I should?'

'To be polite perhaps?'

'Politeness is not a great concern of mine.'

'Jared,' Sydney admonished, 'don't be a beast. Introduce us.'

Once again he ignored her. 'Why don't you go join Nikki? I'm sure she's eager to see you. It's been what? Three months?'

When Sydney continued to stand beside him, he turned her about as though she was a child and gave her a little shove in the direction of the unknown Nikki. Then he turned back to Sarah. At some point during the interview, Miles had mysteriously vanished.

'I suggest you rethink this relationship with Dabney,' Jared told her, his voice dangerously quiet. 'He's not for you.'

'Who made you an authority,' she shot back.

'I know you, Sarah,' he stated in a voice so confident that Sarah almost believed him. 'Jackanapes like Miles aren't worthy of you.'

'Miles isn't a jackanapes,' Sarah declared, wondering what the hell a jackanapes was and why she was defending a man who was nothing more than a coworker. 'Everybody but you has a high opinion of him.'

'If he's not a jackanapes, where is he?' Jared demanded. 'As soon as it gets a little too hot for him, he disappears. Is that what you want? A man who disappears? Who leaves you to fight your own battles?'

Why are we having this conversation, Sarah wondered. Jared was the one with the supermodel girlfriend that he conveniently forgot to mention as he was kidnapping her and singing to her about ball gowns and masks. This wasn't about her and Miles. This was about him and Sydney.

'Don't you think you'd better join your girlfriend,' she asked coolly. 'She looks as though she's getting impatient.'

'Sarah…'

'Besides,' she said, getting up, 'we were just about to leave when you came in.'

Turning on her heel, she stalked off into the maze of tables. She found Miles at the bar.

'Do you still want to dance?'

'Yeah, sure,' Miles said.

'Then come on,' Sarah said, taking his arm. 'I know a better place, a place where we won't run into any wizards.'

***SCENE CHANGE***

Toby lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His homework was done and tucked neatly into a plastic binder in his book bag. He had even read that boring chapter on the Gilded Age that his History teacher had assigned. Normally, he would turn on his game box, but not tonight. Tonight he had more important things to do. Tonight he had to find a way to himself of a Goblin King.

Or an ex-Goblin King, he thought, frowning. He wasn't quite sure who had been who that night in Jared's…no, the other one had called him Jareth…Jareth's study. The one who had looked like a Goblin King had done all the magic, but Jareth had had some kind of power to draw him out of his world and into theirs. He had also mentioned something about the Goblin King taking away his powers so at some point he must have been able to turn boys into goblins too.

Why had he lost his powers? And what was he doing in…what had the older one called it…the Aboveground? And why did he have a picture of Sarah in a ball gown on his wall? Toby did not for one moment believe that the portrait was of someone called Beth. It was Sarah. He was sure of it. Jareth had lied just as surely as he had lied about the cigarettes.

And if he was lying, he was hiding something. What?

He had wanted to tell Sarah what had happened, but he feared Jareth too much. If he told, would he be turned into a goblin forever? Also, he was sure that Sarah wouldn't believe him. She hadn't believed him about the picture, and that was an easier tale to believe than some dude in a cape turning him into a green goblin. Besides, Toby thought with a twelve year old boy's healthy disgust for such things, she had a crush on the guy.

So if he couldn't count on Sarah to get rid of Jareth, then how did he get rid of him? And there was no question that Jareth had to be gotten rid of. Otherwise, he'd be doing his homework, cleaning his room and obeying Sarah until he was…fifty!

Toby got up, went over to the desk and turned on his computer. The first thing he needed to do was find out what a Goblin King was and what his weaknesses were. Every monster had a weakness. Dracula had the wooden stake and Wolfman the silver bullet. So that meant a Goblin King had something that would defeat him.

It was well past his bedtime before he turned off the computer and went to bed. He hadn't been able to find much about Goblin Kings. Whenever he found a reference to them it was linked with some book called _Labyrinth_. He frowned as he turned off the light and pulled the covers up to his ears. Where had he seen that word before? He was just about to fall asleep when it came to him. He sat bolt upright. Jareth's study! That's where he'd seen the book.

As much as he disliked the idea, he was going to have to get back into that study. Life as he knew it depended on it.

***SCENE CHANGE***

'Hey, are you coming to the party tomorrow night?' Debbie asked.

Debbie played the role of one of the dancers in the masquerade scene. She'd been the girl who had elbowed Sarah on the first day of rehearsal.

'I don't know,' Sarah replied. 'I'm not really in the mood for a party.'

'But you're the leading lady,' Debbie protested, 'you've got to be there. Martin and Cynthia went to a lot of trouble to arrange this party for us, and it'll be a nice break after so many weeks of drill, drill, drill.'

Sarah made a face. 'Yeah, I know, but…'

'It's him, isn't it? He's getting to you.'

Ever since the night in the club, Jared had targeted Sarah with the same intensity that he had previously targeted Miles. Nothing she did seemed to be right. His constant haranguing was nearly unbearable, and if this role hadn't been her 'big break', she would have walked off the stage on more than one occasion. Of course, Miles loved it. He'd finally gotten the beast 'off his back'.

'He's a first class jerk,' Sarah muttered, stuffing her well-worn script into a large carry-on.

Debbie laughed. 'We've all been saying that for weeks, but I guess it's kind of new for you, huh? You've been the golden girl up until now. What in the world did you do to set him off?'

'Does anyone have to _do_ anything to set him off?' Sarah asked, slinging the carry-on over her shoulder. 'He's like a nitroglycerin. One little shake and KABOOM.'

'Well, he's got his nose out of joint for some reason,' Debbie said, following Sarah up the aisle. 'I would have quit ages ago, but I know this musical is going to be a colossal hit, and I want to be a part of it. He may be a tyrant, but he knows what he's doing. The storyline is beautiful, and the music is out of this world.'

'Yeah, I guess.'

'But, hey, you didn't answer my question, are you going to the party or not? Come on, it's Halloween. It's our last fling before dress rehearsals begin.'

'Do I have to dress up?'

'It's not Halloween if you don't dress up,' Debbie said. 'It's the one day you can be anyone or anything you want.'

'Dress up right before dress up,' Sarah muttered. 'How original.'

'He's really got to you, hasn't he?'

'He has nothing to do with it,' Sarah retorted, tired of everything circling back to Jared Kristal. It's not like the world revolved around the man. 'I just don't feel like playing dress up. That's all.'

'Then wear a little black dress and mask.'

'Oh, alright,' Sarah finally said, giving up. 'I'll go to the party.'

'Great,' Debbie chirped. 'Miles and I will pick you up.'

Sarah was about to say she would take a taxi but changed her mind. No, she decided, her mouth hardening into a determined line, she wouldn't let _him_ dictate who she showed up with. She was already in the frying pan thanks to being seen in Miles' company; she might as well jump into the fire.

**SCENE CHANGE**

'What are you supposed to be?' Toby asked.

'A woman in a black dress and mask,' Sarah said.

'Ah, that's no fun. Why don't you paint whiskers on your face and go as a black cat?'

'I don't have ears or a tail.'

'You sure are a party pooper these days,' Toby complained, pulling on his Flash Gordon mask. 'You were in a lot better mood when Jared was around.'

'What are you saying,' she demanded, whirling around to give her brother a hot glare, daring him to say something, anything.

'I'm just saying that you were in a lot better mood. That's all.'

'I thought you didn't like him.'

'I don't,' Toby agreed, 'but I like his video games. I was hoping to get the chance to play them again.'

'Don't get your hopes up, buster.' A horn honked, and Sarah hurried over to the window to take a look outside. 'That's Brad's mother. How long is this Super Hero party supposed to last?'

Toby shrugged. 'Midnight, I think.'

'You've got your key, right?'

'Yeah, I've got it.'

'If I'm not here when you get back, make sure you lock the door and then go straight to bed. Don't mess with the stove or toaster or anything that could cause a fire, ok? I would have asked Mrs. Catalina to keep an eye on you, but it's kind of late to ask her to sit up over here.'

'Don't worry about it,' Toby told her, clearly annoyed at her fussing. 'I'm twelve years old. In the 1880s, kids my age were working in sweatshops.'

'Why, Toby,' Sarah exclaimed, 'I'm impressed. Where did you learn that?'

'In the History book I had to read for homework.'

Sarah hid a smile. He didn't sound at all pleased about it either. Jared might be a first class jerk, but somehow he had managed to transform her brother into a model student. There'd been no more calls from the principal, and he did his homework without having to be badgered. He was even keeping his room tidy. She would have loved to know Jared's secret, but she sure as hell wasn't going to ask him now.

Another horn honked. A Jeep was pulled up behind the waiting van. Miles and Debbie had arrived.

'Come on,' she said, scooping up her coat, purse and mask. 'They're waiting for us.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

'Wow,' Debbie breathed, 'this is some place, isn't it?'

'I hear her husband is loaded,' Miles said in a conspiratorial whisper. 'Made it in real estate, they say. Another Donald Trump by all accounts.'

The husband they were discussing belonged to Cynthia Levin, their hostess and the woman who had forced Jared to accept Miles. Sarah could now see why her argument had been so compelling. She, or rather her husband, must be investing quite a lot of money in the musical, if the house was any indication. It was a huge, sprawling mammoth of brick and Doric columns situated just outside the city in an exclusive gated-community.

'It's very crowded,' Sarah noted. 'I didn't know we had so many cast and crew members.'

'Oh, there's more here than that,' Debbie told her. 'Cynthia's invited a lot of her husband's business associates and friends. It's a virtual smorgasbord of potential benefactors. I've got my eye on Elvis over there. Those sideburns are dreamy.'

Sarah sighed. It was going to be a long night. Both Debbie and Miles were on the take. Did all these people think about was furthering their careers? She turned, searching for the drink bar and found something even more annoying than her coworkers' attitudes. Jared and Sydney had just entered.

Even in costume it was easy to recognize them. They were striking, he dressed in his onstage persona, and she…Sarah run a critical eye over the supermodel…like Mata Hari in veils, beads and sequins. Sarah suddenly felt very drab in her black dress and mask. Perhaps Toby had been right. Maybe she should have added some whiskers. No, she decided, it would have only made her look like a child next to that.

Something strange was happening inside of her as she stared at the pair. It was a feeling she was not familiar with, but if she had to put a name on it, she'd have to call it jealousy, and it made her want to do crazy things. She wanted to dance on the tabletops like Rosie had done in _Bye, Bye Birdie_, she wanted to be 'loose, wild & free' like Rick Springfield in _I've Done Everything for You_, but instead she picked the one person that would annoy Jared more than any other. She grabbed Miles by the arm.

'Let's dance.'

The music was jazz, classic jazz, the perfect music for thumbing one's nose at wizards. She wrapped her arms around Miles' neck and gave herself over to Tony Bennett singing _The Way You Look Tonight_.

'Sarah,' Miles said, 'is everything ok?'

'Sure, why do you ask?'

'Well, you're dancing differently than you did a few weeks ago.'

'In what sense?'

'You're…' he paused as if trying to find the word for it and then settled on, 'friendlier.'

'Don't you like friendly?'

'Not when _he's_ watching.'

Sarah suddenly became a lot less friendly. Her arms left his neck and went to his shoulders as she looked at him. 'Are you afraid of him?'

'Let's just say I have a healthy respect. He's not the kind of man you cross, especially when he's responsible for your paychecks.'

'I'm not his property.'

'I don't think he agrees.'

'Does everyone in the cast and crew see it that way?'

'Pretty much. Although we've begun to wonder since he's been treating you like a red-headed step-kid lately.'

'Then I'd better not dance with you,' Sarah said, dropping her arms and taking a step away from him. 'I'd hate for you to forfeit a paycheck.'

She stalked off the dance floor, heading straight for the drink bar. She ordered a double scotch. No more Coke with lemon for her. She needed a powerful elixir to deaden the ache inside. So they all thought she belonged to the boss, did they? She didn't know what she was more upset about – that they were wrong or that they had that impression in the first place. She was about to take a healthy swallow when the glass was taken out of her hand.

'Stick with Coke,' the last voice she wanted to hear said at her elbow. 'This stuff will rot your liver.'

Sarah snatched the drink back out his hand. 'Go away, Jared. I'm not in the mood to take any more of your abuse.'

'Abuse,' he echoed, pale brows rising into his shaggy hair. 'When have I abused you?'

'Oh, that's rich,' she said with a short, hard laugh. 'You've been riding my back like a slave master with an attitude for three weeks now, and you ask how you've abused me. And for what? Because I went dancing with Miles? You've got some nerve, buster, especially when you've got a piece of eye candy glued to your arm.'

He stared at her for a long moment and then had the audacity to say in that dry British voice of his, 'Why, Sarah, you sound jealous.'

'Jealous!' She scoffed with a toss of her head. 'Dream on, brother!'

'There's no reason to be jealous.'

'I'm not jealous,' she stated and even to her ears it didn't ring quite true. She sounded too defensive, too eager to have him believe her.

'Sydney and I don't have that sort of relationship.'

'It sure looks like 'that sort' of relationship.'

'Appearances are often deceiving. Haven't you learned anything from Beth's experience with the Goblin King?'

'I'm not Beth, and I don't want to talk about Goblin Kings!'

She had had enough. Turning on her heel, she ran or at least trotted as quickly as she could in the opposite direction. She knew distance would not impede him from following her so when she saw a door leading into a glass-lined room filled with plants she took it.

The room was quiet, warm and moonlit. It was like a tropical island, and she immediately felt safe within its confines. With a trembling hand, she raised the drink she still held to her lips and then jumped as a voice came out of the surrounding shadows.

'You can't run from me, Sarah.'

My God, he was going to drive her crazy! The man had missed his calling. He should have been a professional stalker.

She whirled around. 'What is it with you? Why do you keep following me? You've forced your way into my life ever since that night outside the theater when you kidnapped me. Why do you keep pursuing me? You've got a freaking supermodel. I'm nothing compared to that. Heck, I'd still be slinging hash at the diner if you hadn't waved your magic wand. Why, Jared? Why me?'

He stepped into the dim light filtering through the glass roof. 'It's very simple, Sarah. I want you. I always have.'

'You want me?' She echoed, not understanding. 'In what way?'

The corner of his mouth twitched. 'How many ways are there to want a woman?'

'I can think of several. There's…'

She got no further. The words never left her mouth because Jared's lips were on hers. She resisted at first, not liking his aggression, but then she ran up the white flag. She surrendered to the moment, to the sensations overwhelming her body. She'd been kissed before - sure, who hadn't at her age - but never like this. He kissed her like a thirsty man given water. He kissed her like he'd been waiting a lifetime to do so.

When he finally his head. He looked down at her with dark, unreadable eyes. 'Does that answer your question, Sarah Williams?'

All she could do was stare up at him and nod.

'Then let's get out of here.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

The clock was bonging. She could barely hear it above the music, above the noise of the masquerade, but she turned, looking over her shoulder, and it was there, reminding her. The child. She must recover the child. Toby!

Sarah's eyes popped open. It was the dream again. It had come and gone since that first night on Jared's sofa. Sometimes she wondered if it _was_ a dream. It was so real, like a forgotten memory, but how could it be real? It was like a fairytale. There were no such things as Goblin Kings or even goblins, for that matter. Lifting a hand, she rubbed her eyes, and then squinted into the surrounding darkness.

Where was she? She was in a bed, but she knew it wasn't hers. It was too big, and she wasn't wearing pajamas. In fact, she wasn't wearing anything at all. Then she became aware of the body beside her and remembered. Jared. She had embarked upon an intimate relationship with the man she'd called a first class jerk only yesterday. How did she feel about him now? Confused, she decided, very, very confused.

There had been something right from the beginning that had drawn her to him even though a part of her had wanted to run hard and fast in the opposite direction. Now running wasn't an option. She had a feeling that Jared was not the type of man to let someone go until _he_ was ready to let them go. The man had a possessive streak a mile wide.

She needed room to think, to decide where she wanted this relationship to go and what she actually felt for the man lying beside her, and she couldn't do that in his bed. She sat up, swinging her legs over the edge.

'Where you going?' His voice was lazy, contented, like the purr of a jungle cat.

'It's almost midnight,' she said, reaching for her dress. 'I've got to go.'

'Toby?"

Ok, if that's what he wanted to believe.

'He went to a Halloween party. Brad's mother is supposed to bring him back sometime around midnight.'

'It would make things a lot easier if you and Toby just moved in here.'

She turned and looked at him for the first time and wished she hadn't. He was propped up against the headboard, looking rumpled and incredibly sexy, and she felt herself weakening. She wanted to toss off the dress she'd just put on and crawl back into bed with him.

'I can't do that.'

'Why not?'

'The cast and crew are already talking about us.'

'Let them talk.'

She found her pantyhose and stuffed them into her purse. 'I don't want them saying that I got this part because I…well…because…'

'You're sleeping with the director?'

'Yeah, something like that,' she agreed, finding a shoe under the bed. Now where was the other one? 'Besides, it wouldn't be a proper environment for Toby.'

'Then marry me.'

Sarah shot upright, the shoe clutched to her chest. 'Jared, don't say things like that.'

'Why not?'

'Because we barely know each other.'

'Believe me, Sarah, we know each other better than you think.'

There was such an odd tone in his voice that she looked at him more closely. 'What do you mean?'

'If you marry me, you'll find out.'

'Oh, you're impossible,' she said, standing up.

The shoe was obviously not in the bedroom. Perhaps the entrance way, she thought. They'd spent several hot and steamy minutes there before making their way to the bedroom. She left the bedroom, dialing the cab company as she went. She found her bra slung across the back of the sofa, and her shoe on the stone tiles just inside the ebony doors.

Her hand was on the door knob to leave when she felt his arms go around her from behind, pulling her back against him. His breath was warm on her cheek.

'Think about my offer, Sarah,' he said, his voice compelling, intoxicating. 'I have the power to make your life everything you ever dreamed it could be.'

Spinning her around, he took her lips with his, kissing her long and hard, pressing her back against the ebony door. Just when Sarah was about to say 'to hell with it' and surrender once again, he released her.

'Think about it.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

Jared lay back against the pillows, a pleased smile on his face. He was feeling relaxed and mellow and it hadn't even taken brandy to produce such an effect. His personal demons were asleep, and all it had taken was having Sarah in his arms. The experience had exceeded anything he had ever imagined, and his soul sung with satisfaction.

He had Sarah just where he wanted her. Once she had allowed him to have her body, it was only a matter of time before she gave him her heart. She wasn't the type to give one without the other. Of course, she would always have that independent streak, but as long as he had the rest of her, he would be generous and allow her this one rebellion.

_Generous_, one of those demons mocked, _didn't you say that you wouldn't be generous, that she would see just how cruel you could be?_ He frowned, not liking to be reminded of his weakness. Yes, he'd said that, but somehow his plans for revenge had never quite gotten off the ground. Her memory loss had changed everything.

He might be a lot of thing, but he wasn't stupid. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that Sarah's love would be more satisfying than revenge ever would be. How sweet it would be, he mused, his eyes going to the spot where she'd lain, to have the love of the girl who'd refused to love him.

And what of her missing memory? He didn't like uncertainty. It made him feel uneasy like a man waiting for the other boot to drop. He could never be at ease as long as there was a possibility of her remembering, and in his current state, he could not stop her so…he sighed, running a hand through his short hair and grimacing at its length…he would have to take other precautions. He must bind her to him by every human means possible. That's why he'd suggested marriage. And she'd looked at him like a stricken rabbit, clutching that ridiculous shoe. It had been obvious that it was too soon for her.

It would be as frustrating as the bog, but he would have to be patient and use the time to insinuate himself deeper and deeper into her life until, whether she remembered or not, she would not be able to separate her life from his. By the time he was finished, remembering must not make a difference.


	6. Chapter 6 - Mommie Dearest

**CHAPTER SIX**

_Mommie Dearest_

'I've got a surprise for you.'

Sarah glanced up from the vegetables she was sautéing. Jared was leaning against the kitchen counter, a snifter of brandy in one hand. Gretel and her husband, Hans, had been given the night off, and Sarah was doing the cooking for the three of them.

She and Toby had been spending a lot of time at Jared's penthouse, practically living there, but Sarah had stubbornly refused to give up their apartment. As long as she had it, she could tell herself and everyone else that she wasn't living with Jared. Surprisingly, Jared hadn't pushed for her to give it up. He seemed content to let things ride, which worried her. He was not acting like the Jared she'd come to know.

'What kind of a surprise?'

Jared reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out two tickets, which he handed to her. Sarah took them and read the printing on the front. They were tickets for a production of _The Rose Tattoo_ starring…she raised her eyes to Jared's.

'You know, don't you?'

'Know what?'

'That Linda Williams is my mother. That's why you bought these tickets. That's why you called it a surprise.' She frowned. 'How did you know? I never told you, and Williams is a common surname.'

For the first time in a long time, perhaps ever, Jareth was speechless. He'd been so eager to wave his magic wand and play fairy godfather once more in Sarah's life that he'd been careless, very, very careless. Jareth, of course, knew about Linda Williams, having seen the pictures on young Sarah's vanity, but Jared Kristal, the rock star turned director, did not.

'It was Molly,' he said, grasping at the first thing that came to mind, 'she did research on each of our leads and supporting cast for the bios in the program. Naturally, I reviewed it. When I heard Linda Williams was coming to town, I thought you'd like to see your mother.'

'I appreciate the thought, Jared, but I'm not interested.'

She held the tickets out to him, but he didn't take them. When a Goblin King gave a gift, it was unheard of for it to be rejected. Why didn't she want his gift? After all, she had no family except for a brother who really wasn't much of a brother. Shouldn't she be excited about re-connecting with a mother? He must investigate this phenomenon closer.

'Why not?'

'We're not close.'

'I didn't know you had to be 'close' in order to see a play. If that were a prerequisite, theaters would be empty. We'd be out of a job, my sweet.'

'I just don't want to see her, ok?

'No,' Jareth said, his voice taking on that determined tone the everyone involved in the musical had come to dread, 'it's not okay. I want to know why you don't want to see your mother.'

Sarah frowned. Jared was being Jared again, push, push, pushing her. It's true that at one time she had idolized her mother, but then she'd grown up and realized that Linda Williams didn't care a fig about a daughter she'd left behind in order to pursue an acting career. It was then that she'd taken down the pictures and buried the scrapbook in an old truck in the attic. She'd gotten over it, and now here Jared was opening up old wounds.

'Because she abandoned me, ok? That's why I don't want to see her. She hasn't wanted to see me in over fifteen years so why would anything change now?'

'When I called her and asked her to join us for dinner before the play, she didn't seem uninterested to me. In fact, I would say that she sounded quite eager.'

Sarah turned from the sauté pan to give Jared an outraged look. 'Dinner too?'

'We have to eat so why shouldn't we eat together?'

'You've got some nerve,' Sarah snapped as anger surged through her at his interference. 'Just because we've got some sort of relationship going on here doesn't mean you have the right to interfere in my life. I've put up with your tyrannical behavior at the theater because you're the boss, and you're supposed to know what you're doing, and frankly, this role is my big break, but I'm not going to allow you to dictate who I have dinner with. If you want to have dinner with Linda Williams, then you have dinner with her. I'm not!'

**SCENE CHANGE**

Toby heard his sister's raised voice in the kitchen and knew it was now or never. He'd been in Jareth's apartment many times since Halloween, too many if anyone had bothered to ask him, but so far he'd not had the opportunity to sneak into the study and steal _Labyrinth_. Jareth had always been watching, but now with Sarah throwing a hissy-fit in the kitchen, the Goblin King's attention would be diverted elsewhere.

Pushing pause on the video game he'd been playing, Toby got up and sneaked along the hallway, passing the bathroom and bedroom until he reached the door of the study. It opened easily, and he slipped inside. Taking a mini-flashlight out of his pocket, he tiptoed over to the bookcase and began scanning through the titles.

He stopped at a book with a faded red cover. _Labyrinth_ was written in gold letters down the spine. He pulled it out and stuffed it into the back of his jeans. Then he turned off the flashlight and left the room. His book bag was lying on the coffee table in the living room, and he hurriedly stuffed the book inside, zipping it securely shut, before returning to the video game.

Mission accomplished. By tomorrow evening, he'd know exactly who and what the Goblin King was. Then he could devise a plan to get rid of him.

Toby smiled gleefully as he kicked a goblin, earning 1000 points and sending the little creature back into his chicken-infested goblin hole.

**SCENE CHANGE**

'Sarah,' Jared drawled warningly, 'calm down. It's only a dinner and a play. I'm not asking you to crawl back inside her womb and be reborn. I would think a woman with only a brother for family would be overjoyed at re-connecting with a mother.'

'Toby and I have managed for nearly ten years with no mother or father,' Sarah pointed out. 'I imagine we can last another ten years without one.'

'It's been my observation that humans are happiest when involved in familial relationships. I want…'

'Humans?' Sarah interrupted. 'You talk as though you're an alien from another planet sent here to observe us.'

Jareth once again cursed himself for being careless. He'd been so intent on calming her down, on getting to the root of her aversion that he'd reverted to being Jareth again. 'It's was merely a figure of speak. Nothing more.'

He was surprised when she ignored the slip-up and suddenly asked, 'Do you have a family? You've never mentioned one.'

'I have an older brother. Our parents are dead.'

'Are you close?'

'Not particularly. We live in different worlds.'

'Then we're the same, you and I.'

He wanted to say 'yes, Sarah, we're the same, and because we're the same, we belong to each other', but instead he did something totally out of character. He didn't focus on how he could get what he wanted; he focused on getting Sarah what she needed. And she needed a mother. He was sure of it.

'No,' he heard himself saying, 'not quite. You have a mother who's alive and well and wants to see you. You're an orphan because you want to be.'

He said it in such a reproachful way that Sarah suddenly felt like a ten year old girl, and perhaps she was. The adult Sarah was experiencing the ten year old Sarah's hurt and pain at having an absentee mother and allowing those feelings to shape her current decisions and reactions. Surely the adult Sarah could suppress those feelings long enough to have dinner with her mother. It would be the adult thing to do, wouldn't it?

She picked up the tickets on the counter. They were for next Saturday night. She would have a week to prepare herself. It would certainly be a test of her acting skills.

'When and where?'

'6 o'clock at The Tap Room.'

'Don't think this means that all is forgiven, and it's ok for you to interfere in my life,' Sarah told him, her voice as well as her expression severe, 'but I'll go.'

Jareth leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers. 'I only did it because I want to give you all your dreams.'

'My mother,' Sarah said, turning back to the sauté pan, 'is not a dream of mine.' She shook the pan a few times, frowning at the lump of charred vegetables, and then said, 'Jared?'

'Um?'

'How do you feel about take-out?'

**SCENE CHANGE**

Sarah sat beside Jared, feeling like a stone statue. Every muscle in her body was clenched tight. It was the only way she could keep herself from trembling. She dreaded the moment that Linda Williams would be ushered across the restaurant to their table. In fact, she was cursing herself for agreeing to this meeting. What does one say to a mother that hasn't been seen in fifteen years?

'Have a sip of your cocktail,' Jared murmured as he perused the menu. 'It'll stiffen you.'

'I thought you said it would rot my liver.'

'That was straight scotch.'

'It's all alcohol,' she pointed out. 'What's the difference?'

He was saved from answering by the approach of the maître de and a dark-haired woman in a sleek burgundy gown that swirling around her ankles as she walked. _So this was mom_, Sarah thought as she watched the maitre de hold out a chair for the woman to be seated. She didn't look like a mother. She looked like a beautiful actress.

The maître de handed the woman a menu and then departed. Linda Williams turned to her dinner companions, her smile tentative as her green eyes went from Jared to Sarah and then back to Jared.

'Thank you for inviting me to dine with you, Mr. Kristal. I could hardly believe it when you said Sarah would be joining us.' She looked directly at Sarah, still smiling. 'I hear you're the lead in Mr. Kristal's new rock musical.'

'Yes,' Sarah said through lips that felt like lead weights. 'I play Beth.'

'Your father must be proud.'

'He's dead.'

Linda looked startled. Her eyes widened, and she said sharply, 'Dead? When did this happen?'

'Nearly ten years ago.'

'How?'

'Car accident.'

'Your stepmother must have been devastated. They'd only been married a few years.'

'She died in the accident as well.'

Linda was beginning to look quite unwell. Jared picked up Sarah's untouched drink and handed it to her. She gratefully accepted it and took a large swallow, followed by another and another until there was hardly any of the pink liquid left. Finally, she seemed to recover, the color coming back into her cheeks.

She looked at Sarah with stricken eyes. 'I…I had no idea. I'm so sorry, Sarah. If I'd known…'

'It's ok,' Sarah said, her voice flat. 'I've gotten over it. Toby and I are doing very well.'

'Toby?'

'My brother. Dad and Karen's child.'

'Poor kid,' Linda murmured, 'it must be tough on him, but at least you haven't been alone all this time.'

'Sarah will never be alone,' Jared put in. 'I'll see to that.'

Linda's eyes went from Jared to Sarah. 'Does that mean that the two of you are in a relationship?'

'Something like that,' Jared agreed. 'I've asked your daughter to marry me, but so far, she's not taken me up on the offer. She has an independent streak that's most uncooperative.'

'That comes from my side of the family,' Linda said with a laugh.

The rest of the dinner focused on a discussion of the musical and Linda's work over the last few years. Despite herself, Sarah was impressed. Her mother was a very successful actress, having played on Broadway as well as other theaters around the world. As they talked, Sarah began to relax and by the time they ordered dessert, she was actually looking forward to seeing her mother in _The Rose Tattoo_ that evening.

As the waiter was clearing away the dessert plates, Jared suddenly got up, saying, 'If you two will excuse me, I've got to make a phone call.'

Linda watched him go. 'Do you love him?'

'I don't know,' Sarah admitted. 'He's a difficult man to love. He has a very…forceful…personality.'

'Well, there doesn't seem to be much doubt how he feels about you. He's head over heels.'

Sarah looked startled. She had never really considered Jared's feelings for her. Oh, sure, she knew he desired her, wanted her, was entirely too possessive of her, but love? Did a man like Jared love or did he possess? Love wasn't having; it was giving.

'What makes you say that?'

Linda gave her a look as though to say 'are you kidding?' but she answered anyway, saying, 'By the way that he looks at you, of course. He has the look of a man who's discover a priceless treasure. If necessary, I think he would sell his soul for you. I know he went to a great deal of trouble to arrange this dinner. I have to admit that I was hesitant at first, but he persuaded me.' She gave a little laugh. 'As you said, he has a very forceful personality.'

'Why were you hesitant?'

'Because I didn't think you'd want to see me because of the way I left. Children rarely have good feelings toward parents who they believe have abandoned them.'

'Well, didn't you?'

The question burst out of Sarah like a shot, and she immediately regretted it. It showed far too much emotion. It showed that it still hurt.'

'I know it probably appeared that way,' Linda admitted, 'but in truth, I did what I thought best. Being the child of an actress is no fun. You're constantly on the move, and you see more of a nanny than you do of your mother. That wasn't the life I wanted for you. A child needs stability, and David, may God rest his soul, was certainly that.'

'A child needs a mother too.' Before Linda could answer, Sarah asked, 'Was acting that important to you?'

'It wasn't just acting,' her mother told her. 'There were other reasons I left, reasons I now know were foolish and ill-conceived. But, believe me, Sarah, I did not love you any less. My biggest mistake was not keeping in touch with you, not letting you know that your mother loved you. I regret the time lost, especially now that I see what a beautiful young woman you've grown into.' She took a deep breath, turning sincere eyes upon Sarah. 'I'm not asking to be your mother and privileges connected with that position, but I would very much like to be your friend, if you'll let me.'

'I…I don't know,' Sarah admitted, frowning. She found herself liking Linda Williams, but trusting her enough to let her into her life was another matter altogether.

'I understand,' Linda said with a sad, little smile. She reached into her purse, pulling out a card that she pushed across the tablecloth. 'Should you change your mind, you can reach me at that number. If you get my secretary, tell her who you are, and she put you straight through.'

Sarah picked up the card, turning it over and over in her fingers.

'I think I would like it if you could come to opening night,' she said slowly, hesitantly. 'Will you still be in town?

'I'll make sure I'm in town.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

Toby closed the book and then lay on his bed staring up at the ceiling. He knew the whole story now, and he knew how to defeat the Goblin King. There were no silver bullet, no stake in the heart. It was far more complicated then that. It seemed that the only way to defeat a Goblin King was through the woman he loved, and in this particular case, the woman he loved was named Sarah Williams.

Oh, man, Toby groaned, rolling onto his side, this was going to be harder than he'd anticipated. To get rid of Jareth, he needed Sarah's cooperation, and to get that, she would have to remember. He had no idea why she'd forgotten her previous meeting with the Goblin King, but she obviously had. Otherwise, she wouldn't be cozying up to that jerk.

The real shock had come when he'd discovered that he'd been part of the story. If it hadn't been for him, they would have never met. Sarah had wished him away, and the Goblin King had taken him. Granted, she had battled Jareth's labyrinth to get him back, but had she wanted him back because he was her brother or because she hadn't wanted their parents to find out? Toby figured it was more the latter than the former.

So if the key to getting rid of the Goblin King was in the return of Sarah's memory, how was he going to get her to remember?

He thought of the portrait on the wall of Jareth's study. Surely that would send up some red flags in her head. She hadn't believed him when he'd told her about it so he was going to have to show it to her. That meant getting back in Jareth's study again, preferably when Jareth wasn't around. Toby would once again have to bide his time and be prepared when the time came.

But how much time did he have? He glanced at the bedside clock. 11:34 PM and no Sarah. With as much time as Sarah was spending with Jareth, it was only a matter of time before she came home with the news that they would be moving. Or worse yet that she was marrying the creep!

Yes, he decided, reaching over to turn off the light, time was running out.

**SCENE CHANGE**

'You didn't have a phone call to make, did you?' Sarah asked as she and Jareth lay tangled in the sheets of his bed later that evening.

'Why, Sarah,' Jared drawled, a hint of laughter in his voice, 'would I make up stories?'

'You left us alone so I'd be forced to talk to her.'

'And did you?'

'She told me that you persuaded her to join us for dinner.'

'I might have done something like that.'

'You told me that she wanted to see me.'

'She did,' Jared agreed. 'She just needed some encouragement.'

Sarah leaned up on one elbow, looking down into his shadowed face. 'Why, Jared? Why did you want us to meet? Why bring her back into my life when I was content without her?'

'I suppose I just like waving my magic wand.'

'Jared,' she growled, 'be serious.'

'I am being serious. I enjoy giving you everything you ever wanted.'

'I didn't want my mother.'

'Didn't you?'

She frowned. He knew her better than she knew herself. Yes, she had locked her mother away in an attic trunk, but that hadn't stopped her from wanting a relationship with her, and now Linda Williams seemed to want a relationship with her too. She wasn't sure where it would all lead, but suddenly she had a mother again, and it was Jared who had waved his wand and made it happen.

Sarah gazed down at him, wishing she could see more of his face. 'And what do you want, Jared?'

'You know the answer to that.'

Marriage, she thought. That's what he meant. He hadn't asked her again since that first night, but the offer was still hanging out there like a softball waiting to be hit out of the stadium. And it was getting harder and harder not to swing at it. He had given her so much - a career, an obedient brother, a mother, a future that looked bright rather than dark – was it too much to ask to give him want he wanted, especially when her heart was begging her to give in.

Yet something continued to hold her back, and it confused her. Why wouldn't this 'something' allow her to surrender everything to him? Was it her independent streak or was it something else, something deeper, something…forgotten.

'Ok, then,' she heard herself saying.

The 'something' protested furiously, but she ignored it.

'Are you saying what I think you're saying?' His voice was quiet, controlled.

'Yes.'

She let out a small squeal as he suddenly surged upward, knocking her off balance and onto her back. She stared up at him as he loomed over her, like some dark incubus, his eyes intense with an unknown emotion.

'You'll marry me?'

'I'll marry you.'


	7. Chapter 7 - Was it Sweet?

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

_Was it Sweet?_

Time had run out. Toby sat in the passenger's seat of the Lamborghini, his thoughts dark and turbulent. Tomorrow afternoon Sarah would marry the Goblin King, and she didn't even know what she was doing. It was enough to make a little brother cry.

The hardest part had been the triumph in Jareth's eyes as Sarah had told Toby the news. Toby had looked at Jareth, and the Goblin King had looked back and a silent acknowledgement had passed between the two of them.

Jareth knew that Toby knew who and what he was. He also knew that Toby didn't like him or want him in their life. But, now, with Sarah agreeing to marriage, Toby's hopes of getting rid of him were dashed. The Goblin King had won the ultimate prize, Sarah, but he had also won the side battle being waged with Toby. And that, Toby decided, was worse than being turned into a goblin.

'I hope you don't mind,' Sarah was saying as she maneuvered the big car through traffic – being engaged to Jareth had obviously given her rights to his vehicle - 'but I need to stop by Jared's penthouse before I drop you off at Brad's. I forgot something there that I need for tonight's performance.'

Toby instantly perked up. They were stopping at Jareth's penthouse, and Jareth was at the theater preparing for opening night. Perhaps the clock was still ticking after all.

'You don't have to come up with me,' Sarah said as Toby and his book bag joined her on the sidewalk outside the gleaming building.

'I want to get that goblin video game to show Brad. Jareth said I could borrow it,' Toby lied.

The ride up in the gleaming silver elevator seemed to take an eternity. Any second, Toby expected the Goblin King to appear and put a stop to his plan. He very nearly took the key out of his sister's hand and opened the door himself when she seemed to fumble with the lock. Finally, the ebony door opened, and they were inside.

Sarah headed for the living room, but Toby headed for the study. He knew she would have to follow if he didn't respond to her summons. He pushed open the door, slipped inside and waited.

'Toby!' He heard her yell. 'Toby, where are you? Stop playing around! I haven't got all day, you know! I'm supposed to be at the theater right now!'

He heard her footsteps on the stone tiles, and then the study door opened, and she was there, in the doorway, glaring at him.

'What are you doing in here? You know this room is off limits.'

Toby grabbed a book from the shelf behind him. 'I was just borrowing a book. He's got lots.'

Sarah stormed into the room, taking the book from him and placing it back on the shelf. 'I _know_ he didn't tell you that you could borrow a book, and I'm beginning to wonder about the video game. Now, come on!

She grabbed him arm, turned and then came to an abrupt halt, her eyes on the wall across from the desk. The adolescent Sarah in the white ball gown stared back at her. Toby imagined it must be like coming face to face with yourself in a parallel universe.

'I told you that he had a picture of you,' Toby said, watching her.

Inside, he was smirking gleefully. He'd won! He'd beat the Goblin King!

'I don't understand,' she said, sounding bewildered. 'How could he have known me then?'

'It all right here in this book,' Toby said, removing _Labyrinth_ from his book bag and handing it to her. 'Read it, Sarah. Read it before it's too late.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

Sarah sat on the floor of her bedroom , elbows on knees, head in her hands. The book was on the floor beside her. She hadn't had to read the entire book. The first few pages had been enough to bring it all flooding back like a tidal wave. It had scooped her up, tumbled her over and over, and left her floating helplessly in its wake.

What a fool she'd been. No, she decided, anger surging within her, what a low-down, dirty, rotten rat Jareth had been. She, at least, had a valid excuse. She truly hadn't remembered. The dream had tried to warn her, but it hadn't fallen all into place until she'd seen that damn picture.

But he had known all along. It explained his odd response on that first night. He had thought she was pretending not to know him. And when he had found out that she wasn't pretending…Sarah's anger burned. He had deliberately used her loss of memory to achieve his purpose. He had deceived her into his bed, and he had almost deceived her right down the aisle. Married to the Goblin King, her mortal enemy! What sweet revenge he must haven been anticipating!

No wonder a part of her had refused to love him. It had known who and want he really was. But it hadn't protected her completely. If it had, there wouldn't be this terrible ache in the vicinity of her heart. The pain was nearly choking her, and her eyes were burning with the effort to hold back tears. _She would not cry over him!_

'Sarah? Sarah, are you here?'

Sarah's head went up. That was Linda William's voice. She scrambled to her feet just as Linda's face appeared around the door jam. Her dark hair was swept into a sleek chignon, topped with a diamond tiara. A matching diamond necklace, earrings and bracelet completed the ensemble. She looked dressed for a night at the opera.

'How did you get in here?' Sarah demanded, her anger at Jareth's betrayal making her voice harsher than intended.

Linda looked uncertain but said, 'I knocked and knocked, but you didn't answer. I knew you were here because Jared's car is parked outside. Your neighbor, Mrs. Catalina, let me in. I guess you'd given her a key to check on your brother.' Linda looked at her, noting her jeans and sweater. 'Jeremy sent me to find you. The curtain goes up in less than two hours. You should have been at the theater ages ago.'

'I'm not going.'

'Not going?' Linda echoed, clearly astonished. 'But you have to go. You're the lead. The whole musical revolves around your part.'

'You mean I'm the stooge, the prize sap, the sucker,' Sarah retorted. 'I didn't get that part because I deserved it. It got it because _he_ wanted me under his thumb so he could exact his revenge.'

'Sarah,' you're not making any sense.'

'The Goblin King. This is all a clever plot of his to pay me back for solving his damn labyrinth.'

Linda frowned. 'Now, you're really not making sense. _The Goblin King_ is a piece of fiction that came out of Jared Kristal's mind.'

'He was able to write it because he _lived _it. _The Goblin King_ is a true story, except for the end,' Sarah's expression turned indignant, '_he_ doesn't win. Beth, I mean, _I_ win. Doesn't that prove that the man is delusional?'

'Sarah,' Linda said, her frown deepening, 'to be honest, you're the one that's sounding delusional right now.'

'Mom,' Sarah interrupted, 'sit down. I have something to tell you, and you're not going to believe it, but I swear it all happened, and it's true. The car accident that killed Dad and Karen stole the memory from me, but now it's back thanks to Toby, and I know who Jared Kristal really is.'

She then proceeded to tell her mother the entire story of the labyrinth, from the wishing away of Toby to the Goblin King's defeat. Her mother listened politely, but Sarah could tell from her expression that she was having a hard time believing it. She supposed that most people who had never stepped into a fairytale would share her mother's point of view. Even to her ears, it sounded crazy.

'Sarah,' Linda said when she'd finished, 'fairytales aren't real.'

'This one is. He made it real somehow. I guess most fairytales aren't real because the main character doesn't fall in love with a human and break the boundary between the two worlds. Jareth is…different. He does crazy things like that. He wants something, and he has to have it, even if it means turning the world upside down.'

'Then the two of you sound like a match made in heaven,' Linda retorted, jumping to her feet.

Sarah's story had obviously unsettled her. She paced back and forth, midnight black skirts swishing. No doubt she was wondering if her daughter needed to be institutionalized, and wondering exactly what had she stepped into when she'd accept Jared Kristal's dinner invitation?

Finally she stopped, turning to stab Sarah with a hard look. 'I don't know what to believe, this all sounds like some crazy dream, but I do know one thing. You're an actress, and when you're an actress, the show must go on. Do you think I wanted to go out on that stage nearly every night of my life? Of course not. Some nights you're sicker than a dog, other nights you're an emotional wreck, but you go out there anyway because you're a professional. That's what being an actor or actress means. You perform even if your heart is falling out of your chest because of some no good, lousy bastard told you he loved you but ran off with your understudy.'

Sarah stared at her mother, astonished. 'You sound as though you're talking from experience.'

'Remember when I told you that acting wasn't the only reason I left you and your father?' Sarah nodded. 'In truth, I left because I fell in love with a man, an actor I met at the local theater. He got a role in New York City, and I went with him. On opening night of my first big role, he decided to run off with my understudy. I was devastated. I left my husband and daughter for this man, and he'd betrayed me, on opening night no less. I had every right to act as you are right now, but I didn't. I refused to let him take the only thing I had left. I got on the stage and the show went on. My career was launched that night, and I guess I have Shaun to thank for it. Because of his betrayal, I acted my heart out that night. The critics gave me rave reviews, and I was the new Broadway darling. Do you understand what I'm saying to you, Sarah?'

'I…think so.'

'Good,' Linda said, picking up the beaded hand bag she'd dropped on the couch. 'Let's go then. We've got less than an hour to get you into make-up and costume.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

'_Where the bloody hell is she?' _

The theater nearly vibrated with the wrath of the Wizard.

'I…I don't know,' Jeremy stammered. 'Her mother was backstage so I sent her around to look for her, but so far, I've heard nothing. I've checked the hospitals and police stations, and there's been no one fitting Sarah's description.'

Jareth seethed inside. He felt like a bloody volcano ready to explode in a hundred directions. Yes, his musical masterpiece was dangerously close to being a flop, but his real concern was Sarah. He felt like he had in the hall of stairs. His plan was beginning to unravel. Nothing would keep her from opening night except…remembering.

Suddenly Martin came running up, waving his clipboard excitedly. 'She's here! She's in the dressing room right now. We might still be able to make it. Gloria and Fred are working like fiends to get her into make-up and costume.'

Strangely, Jareth did not feel any relief from the news. His instincts were screaming that something was wrong. It would be unlike Sarah to be tardy to what she called her 'big break' unless something or someone had prevented her. He wanted to storm down to her dressing room and demand an explanation, but he knew he couldn't. The curtain was scheduled to go up in ten minutes, and the show, as any performer would tell you, must go on.

**SCENE CHANGE**

The theater was dark except for one light that cast a dim glow over the stage. The seats that had been full only an hour ago were empty. It was well past midnight but a lone figure remained behind, seated at the piano, tapping out a poignant melody. He was waiting. He knew she'd come. His goblin heart told him so.

Opening night had been a success. They only had to wait for tomorrow's reviews to have it confirmed. The audience had given Sarah and Miles two standing ovations, and Jareth had savored Sarah's triumph as though it were his own. And perhaps it was. He had written the musical for her. He had selected her for the part. He had coached her. Like the Phantom of the Opera with Christine, Sarah had been his protégé, his crowning jewel, his all-consuming love.

A footstep alerted him that he was no longer alone. She had come. And so it begins, he thought.

'Was your revenge sweet, Jareth?'

He didn't bother pretending that he didn't understand her.

'Revenge, Sarah?' He echoed. 'Is that what you call it?'

'That word describes what you've done better than any other, don't you think?'

'No,' he said, cocking his head to one side as though considering, 'I don't think it does. Can't you seriously call anything that I've done revenge? I gave you an acting career. I gave you a mother. I gave you an obedient brother. The purpose of revenge is to harm. Be honest, Sarah, have I harmed you in any way?'

Sarah hadn't expected him to sound so reasonable. This was not the Goblin King she'd known before, and she was instantly on guard. What game was he playing now? Was this another scheme to get what he wanted?

'You kept the truth from me.'

'No, my sweet, the car accident did that. I had nothing to do with it. At the time, I was busy making my meteoric rise to fame and fortune.'

'But you knew and didn't tell me,' she accused. 'You deliberately used my loss of memory to maneuver me into your trap, and it very nearly worked. It I hadn't seen that painting in your study…'

'What were you doing in my study?'

'Toby was in there and…'

Jareth laughed, a hard, mirthless laugh. 'I should have known that little bog devil had something to do with it. Dart was right. I should have never turned him back into a boy.'

Sarah's eyes widened. 'You turned him into a goblin?'

'No, my sweet,' Jareth said, flashing a naughty smile, 'I didn't turn him into a goblin although I wish I'd had the power to do so many times. I summoned the Goblin King, and he did the deed for me.'

'But you're the Goblin King.'

He shook his head. 'I was stripped of my Kingdom and powers before I came here.'

'Stripped of your Kingdom,' Sarah interrupted, clearly surprised. 'But why?'

'It seems that I broke a law by bringing you to the Underground. Humans are strictly forbidden.'

'Did you know that before you…'

'Before I brought you to the Underground?' He finished for her. 'Certainly.'

Sarah frowned. Typical Jareth, never following the rules, always thinking they didn't apply to him. She simply refused to feel guilty about his Kingdom. He's the one who'd broken the rules. _For you_, a voice whispered. Her frown deepened, and she had to remind herself that she was the wronged party, not him.

'If you're not the king, then who is?'

'It would appear that my brother is filling in until a new Goblin King can be found.'

'You mean there are two of you?' She exclaimed.

'I would like to think that's an exclamation of delight, but I'm afraid I know you too well,' Jareth said with another little smile. 'Unlike your lowly servant, he's the High King.'

'Was it really necessary to turn Toby into a goblin? Isn't that a bit harsh?'

'That's your problem, Sarah. You're too soft on the boy. Drastic behavior requires drastic methods. I assure you it didn't hurt the little bugger, and obviously, it didn't scare him as thoroughly as I'd hoped. He risked my wrath to show you the painting.'

'He was worried that I'd marry a Goblin King,' Sarah said, defending her brother.

'Was he?' Jareth asked. 'Or was he afraid that I might put an end to any further misbehavior on his part? I think if truth be told, he was more concerned about his own skin than you, my sweet.'

'Look, we're not discussing Toby's motives,' she retorted, knowing in her heart he was right. 'We're discussing yours. You deliberately deceived me. I almost married you!'

'Would you have believed me if I'd told you? You would have thought me mad. You were already threatening to scream. What was I supposed to do?'

'Leave me alone?'

Jareth sighed, standing up and coming toward her. She took a few steps back, and he stopped, frowning. 'Sarah, I'm a Goblin King. When I see the opportunity to obtain my deepest desire, I'm going to take it whether I have to lie, cheat or steal. I had nothing to do with your memory loss, but it was a bloody miracle as far as I was concerned. We could start anew without our previous meeting distorting your view of me. And it worked. You agreed to marry me.'

'But you weren't who you said you were.'

'Whether I'm Jareth, the Goblin King or Jared Kristal, the rock star, my basic personality remains the same. The only thing that changed was your view of me.'

Sarah was forced to acknowledge the truth of his claim. He's been just as impatient, forceful and aggressive as Jared Kristal as he'd been in the labyrinth. He'd treated cast and crew as he would have his goblins, ordering them about and abusing them at will. And still she had fallen for him…she caught herself…no, not fallen for him, never that. She'd been attracted to him, enough to sleep with him, but she hadn't given away her heart. _Oh, yeah_, that voice whispered again, _then why are you aching like the worse toothache ever?_

'So what do you plan to do now that your plan has backfired?'

Jareth returned to the piano. 'Nothing.'

'I don't understand.'

'What's there to understand? You asked me what I plan to do, and I said nothing. You may keep the dreams I've given you with my blessing.'

'Those aren't the words of a Goblin King.'

'I'm no longer a Goblin King, am I? Perhaps Dart is right. Humans are dangerous creatures. The longer I am here, the more human I become. I don't find it in my heart any longer to harm you, Sarah. I merely want to love you, and I've been doing that for years. The only difference is now I'm not asking you to fear me, love me or do as I say. I'm asking you to simply let me be your slave.' He stood for a moment beside the piano, his head bowed, and then he turned to look at her, the corner of his mouth kicking up into a sad sort of smile. 'Ah, Sarah, you have defeated me once again. A Goblin King just can't win against such an opponent. His heart keeps getting in the way.'

They looked at each other for a long, tense moment, and then he simply turned and walked away, disappearing into the surrounding shadows. She stared at the spot where he had stood, feeling deflated. She had not expected this when she'd left her dressing room to confront him. She'd been expecting arrogance, threats and intimidation, not this sad sort of resignation. It was…disturbing, and it made her heart ache horribly.

Linda found her some time later, sitting in one of the velvet-lined theater chairs, staring at nothing is particular, her thoughts elsewhere.

'Sarah,' she said, her voice sounding loud in the silent theater, 'it's late. The custodian wants to lock up. We've got to go.'

Sarah remained seated.

'Sarah,' Linda repeated, touching her shoulder.

'I don't know what to do,' she said, ignoring the custodian who was hovering impatiently in the background. 'I thought it would be easy to hate him after what he's done.'

'Perhaps what he's done isn't worthy of hatred,' Linda suggested before saying, 'Come on, let's go to my hotel, and we'll talk about it.'

'No,' Sarah said, getting up. 'I'd rather be alone right now. Perhaps in a day or two we could…talk.'

'I'd like that.'


	8. Chapter 8 - Goblin King, Goblin King

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

_Goblin King, Goblin King_

'Excuse me for saying so, Sarah, but you don't seem at all happy,' Linda noted as they had lunch at a fashionable bistro a few blocks from Linda's hotel.

In the past few weeks, they'd met often for lunch and occasionally went to dinner and a play afterwards. They weren't mother and daughter yet, but they were fast becoming friends. Sarah found her mother's company soothing unlike that of friends her own age who wanted to chatter non-stop about the men in their lives or the latest fashions.

'The musical has received rave reviews,' Linda continued. 'It's on its way to being nearly as big as The Phantom or Les Miz, famous theaters around the world are booking it, and you're gloomier than an English fog.'

Sarah looked at her mother over her glass of iced tea. 'Were you happy?'

Linda didn't pretend not to know what she was referring to. 'No, I wasn't, but I did feel a certain sense of satisfaction. I had a career, and I single-mindedly focused on that career for the next fifteen years. I thought that success would help me forget what I'd lost because of my own stupidity.'

'Did it?'

'I told myself that it did, but in the words of Fantine 'the tigers come at night'. I could fill my days with work and most of my evenings too, but at some point, you have to go to bed, and then the regret comes.'

Sarah knew all about those night tigers. They had visited her constantly until…she pushed that thought aside, not wanting to remember who had held them at bay. Now they were back, growling at her bedside.

'Why didn't you just come back home?'

Linda shrugged. 'Pride, I suppose.'

'So what do you recommend I do?'

'Do you love him?'

'You sound like a broken record,' Sarah said with a laugh. 'You asked me that at The Tap Room.'

'And you said you didn't know. I thought maybe you'd had a chance to sort it out since then. It's been what? Three weeks since opening night? Surely you have an idea what you feel for Jared, er, Jareth by now.'

Linda still had a hard time believing Sarah's story about the labyrinth. To her, it sounded like a school girl fantasy. Even after reading the book, she still had her doubts. _ I guess some people just have to see it to believe it_, Sarah thought, pushing a grape tomato around on her plate. She hadn't had much of an appetite lately.

'To tell you the truth, I'm more confused now than before,' she admitted. 'He just didn't act like I'd expected him to. I'm not sure which Jareth is the real Jareth. He's a master of illusion, and he's not above using every dirty trick in the book to win.'

'Win?' Linda echoed, one fine eyebrow lifting. 'Are the two of you engaged in a war or something?'

'What?' Sarah asked, startled. 'I don't understand.'

'I thought we were talking about love.'

'We were.'

'But you talk about winning as though you're on opposing sides, as though you're engaged in some kind of war, and the way I see it someone has to win and someone has to surrender for the war to be over. You can't begin loving until someone gives up fighting.'

Sarah remembered Jareth's words. _ Ah, Sarah, you have defeated me once again._ Were those words of surrender? They sounded like it, but could she trust him to honor a peace treaty?

'It would appear that he's left the field of battle,' Linda was saying as she cut into her grilled salmon. 'I hear he's removed himself from the musical, which isn't uncommon for directors once the show is performing, but this is his masterpiece, so to speak. It must have been difficult for him to let it go, especially if he's as possessive as you say.'

Her mother had heard correctly. Jareth no longer had any contact with the cast and crew of _The Goblin King_, and if she were honest, she and the others were suffering for it. Oh, sure, the musical still ran when scheduled, but it felt like its rudder was missing. It felt like the life that had energized the production had departed, and now they were just going through the motions.

_Must have been difficult for him to let go._ Her mother's words echoed in her head. She hadn't considered that. Jareth would have considered the musical 'his', and he never let go of anything he considered 'his'…until now. And apparently he'd let go of Sarah too. She hadn't seen him since opening night. Once again, he'd done the unexpected. _What was going on?_

'Truly, Sarah,' Linda said, 'I don't know why you're so resistant. He's given you everything you ever wanted. Most women would die for a man like that. What do you have to lose by giving him the one thing he wants?'

'My independence. He wants to rule me.'

'You'll only lose your independence if you give it up. He can't take it from you.'

She was saved from answering by the waiter coming to refill their glasses and ask if they'd like dessert. They both ordered cheesecake.

'So,' Linda said cheerfully, obviously feeling that the conversation needed to move in a different direction, 'when are you going to move out of the horrible apartment of yours? You're making more than enough money to get a larger place in a better neighborhood.'

'I haven't thought about it,' Sarah admitted. 'I had assumed…'

'That you and your brother would be living with Jareth by now.'

Sarah nodded.

'I know an agent just a few miles from here. If you've got the time, we'll stop after lunch and have a chat with her.'

**SCENE CHANGE**

Toby removed a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. The break-up of his sister and Jareth called for a celebration, and what better way to celebrate than do something Jareth had explicitly ordered him not to do?

The rebellion felt good as he lit the cigarette. He took a long draw, coughed and then took another draw. This time there was less coughing. He leaned back against his headboard, savoring his victory.

No more Goblin King which meant no more doing his homework, cleaning his room and being respectful to Sarah. He could do whatever he wanted with no threat of being turned into a goblin. Goblin Kings weren't so tough, he thought, taking another long draw on the cigarette. Sarah had defeated Jareth in his labyrinth and now, he, Toby, had defeated Jareth and the dude with the cape.

Leaning over, he pulled the drawer of his bedside table open. Reaching inside, he pulled out a glass bottle with a deep amber liquid inside. His friend, Brad, had given it to him. He'd swiped it from his parents' liquor cabinet. Toby hadn't dared touch it with Jareth hanging about, poking his nose in where it didn't belong but now… he unscrewed the top and took an experimental sip. He choked.

It took the entire bottle before he was no longer choking. By the final swig, he was feeling mighty fine, mellow and relaxed. He giggled once, twice and then fell over sideways, the lit cigarette still between his fingers.

**SCENE CHANGE**

Jareth removed the box of Sarah's belongings from the back seat of his car and started up the sidewalk to Sarah's apartment building. He grimaced as his expensive boots sank into a good three inches of snow. It had snowed three days ago, and still no one had shoveled the apartment's sidewalks and parking lot. She really needed to move out of this pig style, he thought as he took the stairs to the second floor, noting the walls the needed re-painted and the carpet that needed replaced.

He stopped outside apartment 2G. Rather than knocking, he decided to do the cowardly thing. He placed the box outside the door. He didn't want to cause her any unnecessary discomfort by his presence so he turned on his heel to leave, but then stopped. There was an odor. He sniffed the air. Smoke? He looked at the bottom of Sarah's door. Thin threads of smoke were escaping.

'Sarah!' He yelled, pounding on the door. 'Sarah, open up!'

He pounded for what seemed like a lifetime before a door down the hallway opened, and a woman wearing a bandana around her graying hair poked her head out.

'What's going on out here?' She demanded.

'I think there's fire in this apartment. Do you have a key?'

The woman disappeared and returned with a key. She must be the woman who looked after Toby, Jareth thought absently as he inserted the key. As soon as the door was open, smoke rolled out, causing both him and Mrs. Catalina to cough and gag.

'Call the fire department,' he ordered before diving inside the smoke-filled apartment.

**SCENE CHANGE**

Sarah and Linda sprinted through the hospital parking lot. They'd gotten a call from the hospital as they were leaving the real estate agent's office. Fortunately, Linda had a rental car, and the two of them had whizzed and honked their way through traffic until they reached the large, sprawling white building that housed Memorial Hospital.

'I got a call from the hospital about my brother,' Sarah said breathlessly as she reached the front desk.

'Name?'

'Toby Williams.'

'Sixth floor,' the receptionist said. 'He's in the ICU unit. Take the green elevators.'

'Can you tell me what happened?'

'I don't know, Ma'am. If you go up to ICU, they'll fill you in.'

Sarah waited impatiently for the elevator doors to open. She knew Linda was with her, but she had only one thought on her mind – getting to Toby. She practically jumped on the first nurse she saw as soon as the doors opened on the sixth floor.

'Toby Williams,' she said, clutching at the nurse's arm. 'I got a call from the hospital that my brother was here.'

'He's in room 620,' the nurse said, 'but the doctor will want to see you first. If you'll have a seat in the waiting room, I'll page him.'

It felt like forever before a tall, lean man in a white coat appeared, carrying a clipboard. 'Sarah Williams,' he asked, raising an iron gray brow.

'That's me.'

His eyes went to Linda.

'She's my mother.'

'So she's his mother too?'

'No, just mine. Toby's parents are dead. I'm his guardian.'

The doctor made a note on his clipboard. Then he looked at Sarah with tired eyes. 'Your brother has been in a fire.'

'A fire?' Sarah exclaimed. 'How?'

'We don't know yet. The fire department is still investigating. It appears it started at…' he scanned his clipboard, '3497 Walnut Street, apartment 2G.'

'That's our apartment.'

'As a result your brother has a severe case of smoke inhalation as well as a few burns. It's not the burns we're worried about. It's the smoke. We've currently got him on a ventilator.'

'Can I see him?'

'You can see him, but don't expect him to talk to you. He's in a coma.'

Sarah dreaded hearing the answer to her next question. 'Will he recover?'

'I'm going to be honest with you, Ms. Williams, we don't know. We'll do everything we can for the boy, but its wait and see for the next few days. If it hadn't been for that fool that ran into your apartment and dragged the boy out, he wouldn't have made it.'

'Someone ran in and got him out? Who?'

'I don't know, but he was in ER getting patched up. He put up quite a fuss about going, but the medics insisted. He had some minor smoke inhalation and burns. I'm sure Patti can find that information for you.'

Sarah waited impatiently as Patti, the nurse she'd accosted earlier, checked the hospital's computer system.

Finally, the nurse glanced up. 'His name is Jared Kristal.'

'Jareth?'

'No, Jared. Do you know him?'

Sarah nodded. 'Is he ok?'

The nurse studied the screen for a second and then said, 'They released him about an hour ago.'

Sarah wanted to find Jareth at once and ask him what he was doing at her apartment and why he'd risked his life in such a foolhardy way, but she knew she had more pressing issues needing her attention. Pushing the questions bouncing around in her mind like a ping pong ball aside, she followed the nurse to Toby's room.

It was early evening before Sarah and Linda left the hospital. The nurses had urged them to go eat and get some rest. They would call if there was any change in Toby's condition.

As soon as the glass doors closed behind them, Sarah turned to Linda and asked, 'Will you drop me off at Jareth's penthouse?'

**SCENE CHANGE**

Jareth pressed down hard on the accelerator. It was the closest thing he could get to flying in this gravity bound world. It was times like these, when his soul was all tied up in knots, that he missed his ability to change into an owl. How liberating, how exhilarating it had been to soar on the wind. It used to expel the restless energy that would build up inside of him. But now he had to rely on a gas pedal.

The boy was going to die. He knew that. Toby hadn't been breathing when he'd pulled him out of the burning room. Only the medics performing CPR has revived the boy. Jareth had little hope that he would ever regain consciousness, not in this world of unlimited limitations.

Still, even if he'd had his powers, he wouldn't be able to heal the boy. Even Goblin Kings had limitations. They might be able to move the stars and re-order time, but they could not thwart death. Once the death coach had been sent, there must be a passenger.

But there was a way. He remembered reading about it once in one of the dusty books that his father kept on his equally dusty bookshelf. Apparently reading was not a high priority for Goblin Kings, but Jareth had often read when ruling goblins had lost its appeal. It would require calling on Dart and persuading him to use his magic once again, but he didn't think his brother would protest too much, especially if it put an end to Jareth's dabbling in the world of humans.

The knots in his soul came when he thought about what such a step would mean to his relationship with Sarah. It would be over. Completely. He would never again be able to touch her, talk with her, be with her. The thought was like a physical pain, a body blow that doubled him over, but it was the only way to save her brother. It was the only way to keep his promise to Linda Williams that Sarah would never be alone.

And besides, he thought, pulling into his apartment's parking garage, it's what she wanted. She wanted to be free of the Goblin King. He had planned on removing himself by going to Scotland, by hiding himself away in some ancient castle to write music and mourn his loss, but perhaps this was a better solution. If he stayed in the Aboveground, he would always be tempted to seek her out. By doing things this way, there would be no temptation. Their separation would only be forever.

**SCENE CHANGE**

He didn't answer the door when she rang the doorbell so she pulled out the key he'd given her and opened the door herself. She found him slumped on the corner of the sofa, his head against the cushions. He looked terrible and smelled of smoke. He had obviously not showered or changed his clothes upon arriving home. His right hand was swathed in bandages.

'Jareth,' Sarah called softly, touching his shoulder.

He didn't respond, and for a brief, paralyzing second, she wondered if…no, she could feel his breath on her hand, warm and rhythmic. She was loath to wake him – he looked so tired and drawn, just a pale shadow of himself – so she sat down on the sofa beside him to wait.

**SCENE CHANGE**

Jareth woke with a start. Something heavy was pressing into his side. He glanced over and was surprised to see Sarah's dark head resting on his shoulder. Her breathing indicated sleep. What was she doing here? He'd forgotten about the key he'd given her, but of course, he'd never expected her to use it again. He must have made some slight movement because as he watched her lashes fluttered.

'Jareth?'

'I'm here.'

She sat up, pushing her hair back from her face.

'What are you doing here?' He asked.

'I heard about what you did for Toby, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. The hospital said you'd been injured.'

'It's nothing.'

She took his gauze-wrapped hand in hers, holding it gently as she might hold a baby bird. 'Are the burns very bad? Will they interfere with your music?'

'I doubt it,' he said, perplexed at her behavior, 'but I might have to start wearing gloves more often, especially in public. How's the kid?'

'In a coma. The doctors say that we'll just have to wait and see. The nurses told Linda and me to go home and get some rest, that they'd call if there was any change in his condition.'

He couldn't see her expression because her head was bowed over his hand. He didn't realize she was crying until a tear dropped on the white gauze and was quickly absorbed. He reached out his good hand, placing a knuckle under her chin and forcing her head up. Wet green eyes met his. Oh, bloody hell, not tears again. His heart squeezed painfully.

'He won't die.'

'I'm not crying because of Toby,' she told him.

'You're not?'

She shook her head. 'No.'

He was suddenly uncomfortable at the look in her eyes. There was something in them that he'd never seen before, and he wasn't quite sure how to respond so he quickly moved the subject back to the boy. 'I swear to you, Sarah, he won't die.'

'How can you know that? Did one of your crystals tell you?'

Was that amusement in her voice? Was she teasing him?

'I don't have any crystals with me. You know my powers were stripped when I chose to come here.'

'Then how can you be so sure?'

'Because I've made arrangements.'

He saw her frown. 'What kind of arrangements?'

'I've been in contact with my brother, and he's agreed to use his magic.'

'To heal Toby?'

'Not in the conventional sense, no, but I assure you, Toby will live.'

Jareth got up and walked over to the drink cabinet. He was already beginning to feel thin and stretched. It would become worse as midnight approached. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he imagined it wasn't much different than what his parents had experienced when they had faded. His hand shook as he poured brandy into a snifter, spilling a drop of two on the ebony cabinet

'Then explain it to me.' It was a demand, not a request.

'Our powers are quite strong. As you know, I can move the stars or re-order time, but there is a limit. We cannot give life, and as a result we cannot heal either. Once the death coach has been sent, it cannot be turned back, even by a Goblin King.' He paused, taking a swallow of brandy. Its fire revived him, giving him energy to continue. He turned and looked at her. 'However, there is a way. I don't believe it's ever been used, but it is possible.'

Sarah didn't like the sound of that. In fact, she was beginning to sense that Jareth had done something she wasn't going to like. 'Go on.'

'We're able to transfer life, so to speak.'

Yep, she didn't like it. In fact, it alarmed her. 'Jareth, what have you done?'

'At midnight, my life energy in this world will transfer to Toby. I will fade away until I no longer exist.'

'You mean you'll die?'

'In this world, yes. However, I will continue to live in the Underground.'

'What are you saying?' Her voice was sharp with alarm.

'I'm saying that once this process is complete I can never return to the Aboveground. I must remain forever in the Underground until I fade there as well.'

'No,' Sarah exclaimed, jumping to her feet. 'I won't let you do this.'

'It's already been arranged. I'm already feeling the fade.'

'Then un-arrange it,' she ordered, feeling frantic.

He couldn't do this to her. He couldn't leave her when she had just realized how much he meant to her. She wouldn't let him leave her…even if she had to call the High King himself.

'Sarah…'

If you won't do it, I will.' She lifted her face to the ceiling, shouting, 'Goblin King, Goblin King…'

Jareth's good hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her words.

'I can't let you do this,' he told her, his eyes burning into hers. 'I told Linda that I'd make sure you'd never be alone, and I'll keep that promise.'

She pulled his hand away from her mouth. 'But I'm not alone. I've got Linda, and I've got…_you_.'

He stared at her, his eyes searching her face. 'Don't toy with me, Sarah. Not now.'

'I'm not toying with you,' she assured him as she took a step closer. 'I didn't let me finish earlier. I wasn't crying because of Toby. I was crying because you were hurt.' She took his wounded hand in hers, holding it against her cheek as she said clearly so there would be no doubt, 'I love you, Goblin King, and I don't want you fading away and leaving me just when I've found you. It took me a while to come to terms with loving a man of your unique characteristics, but I do, and I won't let you do this, not for Toby, not for me.'

'Sarah,' he warned, his voice husky with emotion, 'if you stop this, there's no guarantee that Toby will survive.'

'I understand that, and I'm okay with it. We're in a human world, and there's no magic to heal little boys who do stupid things. We haven't gotten official word from the fire department yet but I'm pretty sure he was smoking in bed. I love my brother, but I love you too, and I won't have you giving your life for his. I don't need you to prove your love to that extent. Running into that apartment was more than enough. I hope like hell he lives, but if you're going to be human, we've got to stop relying on magic to get us out of jams.'

'Are you sure?'

'Absolutely sure.'

Jareth smiled, not one of his cynical, mocking smiles but rather a smile that radiated joy. 'I love you, Sarah Williams. I have for as long as I can remember.' He kissed her long and hard. Finally, he lifted his head and whispered, 'Go ahead and call him.'

'Goblin King, Goblin King…'

**SCENE CHANGE**

'Whew,' Sarah exclaimed, dropping onto the sofa, 'he was even more frightening than you were the first time I saw you. Is he always like that?'

Dart had come and gone, and the process had been reversed much to the High King's disgust. He hadn't been easy to convince, but she had eventually prevailed, threatening to keep calling him until he relented. At one point, they'd stood toe to toe, mismatched eyes glaring into green ones as they argue over Jareth's future. Jareth, feeling weaker as each minute passed, had had to allow her to fight this particular battle. And she'd done him proud, he mused. Even Dart would have to admit that this particular human was a cut above the rest.

'He was angry,' Jareth said, leaning back into the corner of the sofa. He had regained the strength lost to the fade, but he felt tired, very, very tired, and his hand was beginning to sting, 'He doesn't understand why I would wish to remain here when the Underground has so much more potential. He doesn't understand the power of love.'

'Hasn't he ever been in love?'

'He was married for a short time to a woman chosen for him by our father, but she died in a hunting accident. By then our father had faded, and he felt no compulsion to re-marry. He was content to name me as heir, but because of my so-called disgrace, he's now forced to marry again, which has not improved his temper.' He held out his arms, and Sarah melted into them, resting her cheek against his chest. 'You see, Sarah, Goblin Kings don't fall in love. They are very practical creatures.'

'You did.'

He chuckled. 'I was never what a Goblin King should be. Far too impulsive and reckless, my father used to say. I think when I started showing interest in the Aboveground he began to seriously wonder if a changeling had been slipped into his youngest son's cradle. Perhaps it had.'

'Hopefully, we'll never have to call him again. I don't think his threat of sealing off the Underground was an idle one. I think he'd really do it.'

'He can only seal off what he controls.'

'You mean there's more to your world than just the Goblin Kingdom?'

'Of course,' Jareth murmured, his voice sounding drowsy. 'There's the Wasteland beyond the Singing Mountains.'

'Do you know how to get there from here?'

She waited for a reply but none came except a gentle snoring. Jareth was asleep. She wanted to wake him – he really ought to take a shower and get out of those smelly clothes – but she thought better of it. He'd had a rough day and deserved the rest. Questions about the Underground and its other kingdoms could wait until another time. They only had forever.

**SCENE CHANGE**

'Hey, Toby,' Sarah said, poking her head around the corner of the wall separating the living room from the rest of Jareth's apartment, 'we're meeting the real estate agent at 1 o'clock. Do you want to come along?'

'Nope,' Toby replied, his eyes fixed on the video game.

'We'll be back in a few hours, and then Jareth's taking us out to dinner. Linda will be joining us. She's back in town for a few weeks. If you need anything, you've got my cell phone number, ok?'

Toby heard the door of the penthouse close. Immediately, he tossed aside the game control and got up, hurrying over to the bank of windows. In another minute or two, he saw the Lamborghini emerge from the parking garage and then streak away. They were looking at properties again, which meant they'd all be moving soon. Somewhere between him coming out of the coma and leaving the hospital, they'd decided that a penthouse was nowhere to raise a teenager.

He scowled. The wedding was back on, and he was right back where he'd been before the fire. All his work to separate them had been for naught. She was more in love with the jerk now than before! Who would have thought such a thing possible considering their past? But according to Jareth, who had smiled at him in that smug way of his, it had been Toby's brush with death that had made it all possible. Life was not fair, Toby decided, returning to his video game.

Ok, yeah, the guy had rescued him. Big deal. It didn't change anything as far as Toby was concerned. He still disliked the guy. He'd turned Sarah against him. After the fire department had completed their investigation, and he'd been discharged from the hospital, he'd gotten a right earful from Sarah about smoking…and drinking. Apparently the fire detective had found an empty bottle of Jim Beam on his bedroom floor. She'd never spoken to him so harshly, so sternly and she'd even gone as far to ground him, taking away his game console and computer. Of course, he knew who was behind it. It was him…the Goblin King.

So if he could no longer count on Sarah to get rid of Jareth, who would?

He was in the middle of delivering a knockout blow to an alien space ship when the answer came to him. How had Sarah gotten rid of him all those years ago? She'd call on the Goblin King, and he'd taken Toby away. Couldn't he use the same strategy to get rid of Jareth? Hell, it was worth a try.

Tossing the game control aside, he stood up and raised his voice, yelling, 'Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, take this Goblin King far away from me!

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you for reading. I appreciate all the comments, and I hope this story has not disappointed you. Please stay tuned in the next month or so for the sequel in which Jareth is taken away by the High King, and Sarah must find a way to get both him and his Goblin Kingdom back. A wager perhaps?**


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